The Disgrace That Is Guantanamo

[G_j]

The Disgrace That Is Guantanamo
Elaine Cassel, AlterNet
While conditions for prisoners at Guantanamo deteriorate, the Bush administration plans our next war.

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16965

I started to write about the disgraceful situation in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Friday morning. I had read about the International Red Cross's condemnation of the Bush administration's continued detention of 650 or more prisoners, some of them juveniles, captured in Afghanistan two years ago. They have been held in cages on the American military base there, without attorneys, with little access to family, and without any charges being placed against them.

Before the war in Iraq fell apart, we heard that Paul Wolfowitz was planning to be in charge of trying some of the men. Several prisoners were targeted to be the guinea pigs for prosecution and, of course, they were facing the death penalty. But it turned out that one or more of those were British subjects. Tony Blair stepped in and, with support for his wholesale commitment to Bush's war waning, begged Bush not to execute any British citizens.

That's the last we'd heard until this week when the Red Cross reported that men are trying to commit suicide repeatedly, physical and mental health is deteriorating. One wonders what the hell we are doing down there , and the answer is probably nothing.

It's just as well I did not get the article written Friday morning. For on Friday afternoon, driving home, I heard that Bush may now be planning our next war in Cuba. Whether that materializes or not, he was placing new restrictions on Americans visiting Cuba, threatening tourists with criminal prosecution on the grounds that taking money to Cuba was "money laundering for terrorists." I swear that is what he said. Because I pulled over to the side of the road and wrote it down. So being a friend to Cuban people or a fan of Cuban music ? well, in the administration's Alice-in-Wonderland world, that makes you a terrorist, too. Whatever you do, don't buy the video or CD of Buena Vista Social Club. Ry Cooder, you better watch your back. You might be tried as a terrorist sympathizer.
...more...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. one day bush&co will pay for this in the world criminal court...war crime

[greekspeak]

3. Don't hold your breath

I think that there would have to be an invasion of U.S. soil before any American of rank went before the world court.

[rustydog]

2. By using Bush*s own convoluted arguements ...

We can safely declare that Rush Limbaugh financially supports terrorists.

If all you recall, the Administration ran commercials that if you use illegal drugs, you support terror.

Rush Limpballs is an admitted drug abuser for several years...This man is a traitor to America because he supports terrorists such as Osama and his Al Qaeda network.

[DrWeird]

4. I say you've got about ten minutes.

Before the Bushitler loving brown shirts show up to defend Gitmo.

[BeFree]

5. A nasty stain on America

What * has doe in Gitmo is a crime against humanity. It is no better than what the Chinese do to their opponents. It is no better than what the worst of the world's dictators have always done to their opposition.

It is anti-human and now my country's rulers have sunk as low as it can go concerning individual rights and Justice. It would have been better to have killed them in Afghanistan. At least it would have left them with a bit of honor.

[frank frankly]

6. built by Halliburton, too

no shit.

[G_j]

7. of course n/t

[JCMach1]

8. I really feel that they guy they arrested for espionage was just

trying to get some of the truth out to international aid agencies.

I am positive of it.

[G_j]

9. I had to wonder about

that also. Would we ever know for sure?