Some URL's on the Guantanamo situation. Since these are secondhand reports, and even the Amnesty International website is saying "if, then" to the reported conditions I'm taking this all with a grain of salt. However, if it does turn out to be true, I personally will find this quite disturbing and have real ethical problems with it. I don't feel Americans should treat human beings (no matter that the Taliban barely fit the definition for slime molds, never mind human beings) in this manner.
BUT I do understand two pieces of reasoning: 1) The Taliban are ready to kill as many Americans as they can in order to martyr themselves. 2) Al Quaeda forces are not the victims here. The press and all of the human rights organizations need to keep in mind that what these animals did was a crime against all of humanity, not just America. http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2002/01/11/cuba_waits/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/01/10/ret.franken.otsc.otsc/ http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/11/international/11CND-PRIS.html (link requires registration) http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1754000/1754444.stm http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/11/international/11CND-PRIS.html (link requires registration) http://www.usatoday.com/news/attack/2002/01/11/prisoners-arrive.htm from the first article: U.S. base in Cuba awaits prisoners - - - - - - - - - - - - By TONY WINTON Jan. 11, 2002 | GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL STATION, Cuba (AP) -- Handcuffed U.S. troops struggled mightily as fellow soldiers marched them to waiting cells, rehearsing for the arrival of 20 real prisoners -- al-Qaida fighters being flown in from Afghanistan. The incoming prisoners have been called suicidally dangerous and their military jailers -- who practiced prison techniques Thursday -- are taking no chances. "These people vowed to win their way into paradise by murdering anybody in American uniform, or for that matter, any civilians," said spokesman Steve Lucas at the U.S. Southern Command, the Miami-based command helping to coordinate the move. "The level of threat is probably unique." The 20 prisoners left the U.S. Marine base at Kandahar International Airport in southern Afghanistan earlier Thursday wearing hoods. They were to have been chained to their seats in the Air Force C-17 and possibly sedated, forced to use portable urinals and be fed by their guards, according to USA Today and television reports. Jon
