The Army Field Manual, with its explicit guidelines on what methods U.S. interrogators are allowed to use when they question detainees, has clearly prohibited torture since the first version was introduced in 1956.

The 384-page manual, however, has been marred by a handful of changes that were introduced during a revision of the document in 2006. These changes weaken some of the key rights protections contained within the manual, opening the door to the use of tactics tantamount to torture by U.S. interrogators.

The changes enacted in the new version of the manual also place unnecessary restrictions on an important interrogation approach, according to some interrogation experts, thereby limiting its use, and potentially harming U.S. intelligence gathering efforts.

Read the letter from 14 interrogators and intelligence officials. [PDF]

Find out more about Appendix M of the Army Field Manual. [PDF]