----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 1:04 AM Subject: Re: Egg on my face (was Re: Treatment Of Prisoners)
> > > Dan Minette wrote: > > Jeffrey wrote: > > > > >>I'd like to see us (the US) have a consistent moral stand in this - what > >>possible reason could we have for not affording them the full rights of > >>POWs and human & sensitive treatment? > >> > > > > As far as I know, if they had followed the "if" clauses, and attacked the > > WTC and the Pentagon with conventional bombers flown by pilots wearing > > uniforms, then those pilots would not be subject to prosecution. The > > Pentagon is certainly a legitimate war target, and if factories are > > legitimate targets, I'm guessing that the WTC would be too. After the end > > of the war, we would be required to free them unless they did something > > besides attacking these two targets. > > > > But, they did not use these methods. Rather, they dressed as civilians and > > used civilian airplanes as weapons. > > > > The Geneva convention can be seen as having a twofold purpose. It is to > > regulate how warfare is waged as well as how prisoners are treated. AQ > > violated the conventions rules on waging warfare, thus they are subjected to > > penelties that do not exist for those who follow the rules of warfare. > > > > But you don't really address the question. Its understand that they > don't qualify for GC treatment. Jeffrey asked why shouldn't we > afford them humane treatment not what legal justification we had for > not doing so. I stated on different occasions that I fully agree that they should have humane treatment. I'm arguing that the Geneva convention gives protection to POWs that is greater than just giving them humane treatment. For example, exemption from murder charges for killing people during attacks on targets that have military value. I don't think that the members of AQ deserve such treatment. > And if we are treating them humanely, what is the argument against > at least some degree of public scrutiny? Well, there appears to be scrutiny now. I've seen what looked like a news report from the prison this morning. The CO of the prison/base stated that his plan is to allow the Red Cross/Red Cresent to visit with each one of the prisoners. Plus, there is a CNN special on it tonight..the ads have shots from the base. If you want to be at all generous towards the US goverment, the delay in providing access to the site was due to the Pentagon wanting to be sure that they have their routine down and have things under control before they let people on site. Dan M.
