Introduction: American Torture, American Terrorism, and The Myth of American Decency

Abstract The goal of this book is to show how central institutions and practices in America continue to inflict terrorism and torture on thousands of innocent people, and to explore how and why this violence has been legally, socially, and politically tolerated (or simply ignored) for decades. Answering this question requires, first and foremost, foregrounding the experiences and testimony of victims of torture and terrorism, rather than focusing on the goals, beliefs, and intentions of those involved in inflicting these forms of violence. This introductory chapter explains the goals of this book, explores the complex relationship between torture and terrorism, and summarizes the contents of the book’s chapters.