Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Hissyspit

(45,788 posts)
Mon Apr 29, 2013, 04:20 PM Apr 2013

American Medical Association Questions Guantanamo Force-Feedings

Last edited Mon Apr 29, 2013, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters

American Medical Association questions Guantanamo force-feedings

Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:58pm BST

By Jane Sutton

MIAMI (Reuters) - The Navy sent extra medical personnel to the Guantanamo detention camp because of a growing hunger strike, and the American Medical Association questioned whether doctors were being asked to violate their ethics by force-feeding prisoners.

The reinforcements arrived at the weekend and included about 40 nurses, specialists and hospital corpsmen, who are trained to provide basic medical care, Army Lieutenant Colonel Samuel House, a spokesman for the detention camp said, said on Monday.

He said 100 of the 166 detainees had joined a hunger strike that began in February to protest their continued detention at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in eastern Cuba. Twenty-one of those had lost enough weight that they were being fed liquid supplements via tubes inserted in their noses and down into their stomachs, House said.

Five were in the hospital for observation but did not have life-threatening conditions, he said.

On Thursday, the president of the American Medical Association sent a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reiterating its long-held position that it is a violation of medical ethics to force-feed mentally competent adults who refuse food and life-saving treatment.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE93S0VD20130429

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
American Medical Association Questions Guantanamo Force-Feedings (Original Post) Hissyspit Apr 2013 OP
Detainees SamKnause Apr 2013 #1
Don't want to eat? Here's the chair that they'll strap you down on so they can help you. AnotherMcIntosh Apr 2013 #2
If all our senior citizens went on a hunger strike... SoapBox Apr 2013 #3
link didn't work for me.. annabanana Apr 2013 #4
 

AnotherMcIntosh

(11,064 posts)
2. Don't want to eat? Here's the chair that they'll strap you down on so they can help you.
Mon Apr 29, 2013, 04:33 PM
Apr 2013


There's enough space so that multiple people can hold your head back while a tube is pushed up your nose and down your gullet. Now all that is required is to hold your head back, put a funnel in the tube, and start pouring down the liquid.

SoapBox

(18,791 posts)
3. If all our senior citizens went on a hunger strike...
Mon Apr 29, 2013, 04:42 PM
Apr 2013

I'll just bet that the PukeBaggers and War Hawks would let THEM die.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»American Medical Associat...