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In order to understand how fundamentally dishonest some media outlets and so-called “peace psychologists” are in their discussion of America’s military in general, and military psychology in particular, one need look no further than NPR’s May 2009 “report” about the role of psychologists in the interrogation of terrorists. The pieces I include here–some necessarily lengthy–discuss Alix Spiegel’s dishonest editing, NPR’s editors’ deliberate misrepresentations on their website, and the absurd conclusions drawn by the braying Stephen Soldz (who is representative of much of their illogical thinking). Although I am loath to give them attention, people do have a right to know just how agenda-driven they are. My discussion does not guarantee that I will be correctly understood, but it does ensure that at this source my views will not be deliberately misrepresented to advance a political agenda. I have never particularly cared about politics–the truth, in every case, is the goal.
I want to be clear: My views are as an individual psychologist exercising my free speech rights as protected by the United States Constitution. I do not speak for the U.S. Navy, nor do I make Navy policy. I also do not speak for the whole of military psychology, which is not a monolithic body with only one point of view. I do not speak for the APA–their official positions can be found at their website and various other sources. I speak for myself, and my ideas are informed by my career, education, and experience.
One other point needs to be clear in order to understand my views: It is important that we use language correctly. I abhor in “political correctness” because it is, in fact, linguistic tyranny in which some people believe they get to tell everyone else what to say and how to say it. Anyone who gets tied up in knots when words are used according to their correct definitions is going to be unhappy with much of what I say. 
It is unlikely that I will address this issue again, given the “more of the same” nature of the players involved. They will insert the names of the well-known (Seligman, Matarazzo) and the lesser-known, but their agenda remains the same–and it is not the pursuit of truth or answers to difficult questions. Theirs is a position of moral preening while others do the heavy lifting. Although that may seem the easy path, I would rather stand for the truth.

NPR’s “Report”

NPR’s Foregone Conclusion


In late April 2009, I was interviewed by Alix Spiegel of NPR and quoted in a spot that aired on their “All Things Considered” program.  Although I provided hours of background information, an article on waterboarding and my experience being waterboarded, and was interviewed for an additional three hours, NPR chose five minutes of various statements and misapplied them in order to create the statement they wanted to make, not the position I hold. Although it would be impossible for me to give a statement-by-statement refutation of their presentation, I will discuss a few general points, and may update my comments in the future.  I am simply not going to spend my time tracking down… 

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OPEN LETTER TO MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY

MAY 16, 2009


Over the years, I have granted interviews to a various publications on matters pertaining to clinical psychology.  I have done so with the intention to inform, educate and persuade both the professional and lay community on matters that I believe are important to the practice of psychology and to the defense of our nation.  I believe that it is the responsible obligation of citizens to debate matters that affect policy, health, freedom, as well as US and world opinion.   I also believe that free, open and honest expression, in pursuit of the truth, is…

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THE SOLDZ LIE

THE TRUTH ABOUT Stephen Soldz and his “carefully constructed tale.”


Stephen Soldz, the self-styled crusading psychoanalyst who loudly criticizes military psychologists, has written a number of articles he believes “expose” various secretive plots and collusions between the U.S. Military and the American Psychological Association, as well as unethical activities of active duty clinical psychologists who have served in the Global War on Terror.  In particular, he has focused his suspicions and accusations…

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