[Vision2020] Detainees in Despair

[Donovan Arnold]

Andreas,
  
  Sorry for the delayed response. Your answers were rather ambiguous.
  
  Your wrote:
  
"The people now in Guantanamo were selected based on
informants from rival ethnic groups and information extracted through
torture." 

I don't believe that to be the case for all. No doubt some prisoners will claim that. I have no doubt all
prisoners everywhere are not all guilty either, or given a fair trial, and some are in for racial
and bigoted reasons. However, few would, like you, argue that we let them all go because
some are innocent. I think the risks are too great.

You also wrote:

"You know what, Donovan? If you want to repeal the 4th Amendment or
break our commitment to the 3rd Geneva Convention, I'll take that
fight. And the American people will come out on my side. But until
they do, the government has no right to pretend that neither exist."

You misunderstand two things here Andreas. First, the detainees are not POWs.
So the Geneva Convention does not apply. They are not enlisted by a country to fight a war. They have
no ranks, no structure, not even a uniform. If they were, we could simply go to the country we were fighting and drop a bomb.
Second, the United States has the right to detain anybody they wish from any foreign country in which that
 nation's government is unwilling or unable to control its citizens and has demonstrated the potential and ability 
to do harm against US citizens at home or abroad. The very main reason a government exists to protect its
citizens from foreign harm and invasion. If the United States believes that people will kill US citizens if freed, it has an
obligation, and the moral authority to detain that person or persons until such time as they are no longer a threat.

Andreas, there are people out there that want to harm innocent people here in the US, and would do so if our military
 and government workers were not hard at work trying to stop it. Not all foreigners want to drop rose pedals at our feet.
 For you to say that we should allow foreigners to attack this nation is down right treasonous IMHO.

Also for you to suggest that the Military is so incompetent that it only has a bunch of milkmen and school teachers locked
up because they were turned in by bigots is such a foolish and sheltered view of the world.

Having said that, I totally agree that all the detainees should be given decent treatment, not tortured, sexually harassed,
insulted, or forced to reveal information through mistreatment. I believe anyone that blatantly disregards the rights and proper
treatment of these detainees should be brought up on charges and dismissed from their duties.

I also believe that the government should making a good faith effort to free people it finds not to be a threat and looking for ones it may
have missed that are a threat. 

However, for the government to set free people they know are going to try and bring harm to innocent civilians is 
unforgivable, and I cannot understand why someone would think that was a good idea.

Best Regards,

_DJA





 

  

Andreas Schou <ophite at gmail.com> wrote:  On 6/15/06, Donovan Arnold  wrote:
>
> "Long before a suicide bomber commits the crime of murder, he has
> engaged in the crime of conspiracy, or providing material support to a
> terrorist organization, or any number of crimes that don't require him
> to have blown himself up in a public square."
>
> Andreas,
>
> Based on what do you make this bold claim? You don't think that terrorist
> commit these crimes on their own accord?

Yes.

> You don't think it is possible that we have enough to know they are planning
> something but not enough to get a conviction?

Yes.

> You want the US to just let free all the suspected terrorists that wish
> death to the US?

Yes.

> Then when we have completed our 15 year public investigation, tipping off
> the terrorist organizations where we have infiltrated them, go arrest the
> ones we are  sure would receive a life sentence?

Yes.

> Do you honestly believe that people being held by the United States were
> randomly selected in a lottery?

Pretty much. The people now in Guantanamo were selected based on
informants from rival ethnic groups and information extracted through
torture. Both produce unreliable information.

> Unfortunately, it is not possible, or practical to be able to give an
> individual trial for each and every suspected person threatening to cause harm to the US.

You know what, Donovan? If you want to repeal the 4th Amendment or
break our commitment to the 3rd Geneva Convention, I'll take that
fight. And the American people will come out on my side. But until
they do, the government has no right to pretend that neither exist.

-- ACS

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