The whole world knows how stupid and how un-American the behavior of the Bush government has been towards people it detains, whether in Iraq or in Guantanamo Bay. It is even worse to find out that the vast majority of detainees are NOT a threat. NO credible information to prevent terrorism has been found there.
The latest news item really shook me. It relates to two Chinese minority Muslim detainees who have been found to be completely innocent, no threat to national security or any kind of problem, but according to a judge, the court does not have the authority to free them.
I remember growing up in Pakistan, reading about the kinds of "permanent limbo" critics of the evil Soviet empire would fall into, and never be able to get out of. And, I remember reading how strong and freedom-protecting American law was. Well, that was then, this is now.
Let's be clear on one thing. I don't have any sympathy even for AlQaeda / Al-Qaida sympathizers.
But to have innocent people put away into a black hole from which they are not let go even when they are innocent makes me shudder. Amazing, sad and scary that this gulag mentality governemt is running today in the USA and not the USSR.
ADDED: The biggest laugh I got this Christmas was not from some fat Santa saying Ho Ho Ho but from reading a New York Times news report that the US will not hand off Iraqi detainees to Iraqi authorities, "officials are satisfied that the Iraqis are meeting United States standards for the care and custody of detainees."
Oh, yeah. THAT is what we want. Everyone else should follow the great standards and lessons of prisoner treatment at Abu Ghraib prison, prisoner rights abuse at Guantanamo Bay and prisoner "rendition" and flying around the world to be tortured.
The Bush government is definitely the shining light of how to treat prisoners.
Imran
6 comments:
Imran Farooq. Thanks for the comment.
This "time of war" is a lame excuse for them not to impeach Bush. HE started the war. America had AN act of terror on 9/11, not a flotilla of aircraft carriers and aircraft attacking it as happened at Pearl Harbor.
In that sense, 9/11 was not different from Oklahoma City's bombing. Yes, AlQaeda is still out there and a threat, but, guess what, so is the white supremacist anti-government militia that the Christian Terrorists came from.
Imran
Does a terrorist have a religion,Imran?I doubt!Violation of human rights b it the Abu Ghraib prison or elsewhere leave permanent scars on its victims.So,terrorists have to b eradicated everywhere and talking of common sense,Bush shd know that charity begins at home!
Thanks for the comment. I repeat my point made at http://www.imran.com/media/blog/2005/12/better-never-than-late-better-late.html .
If I shout at you, call you fat and ugly, or I shoot you in the head, are you equally harmed in both cases?
Imran
Well,yes and no.I'll tell u why.If a person comments on one's physical appearance...it does not matter to the person who is commented upon,and at least that person can retort/react. If a person has high self esteem,it just does not matter.But,If a person is shot at in the head,I don't think he'll have time enough to even react!It can prove to b fatal,obviously.Terrorism wipes out civilization and stifles positive progress.
Well,yes and no.I'll tell u why.If a person comments on one's physical appearance...it does not matter to the person who is commented upon,and at least that person can retort/react. If a person has high self esteem,it just does not matter.But,If a person is shot at in the head,I don't think he'll have time enough to even react!It can prove to b fatal,obviously.Terrorism wipes out civilization and stifles positive progress.
Thanks, you are just proving my point.
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