Actually, Keltoi, Afghanistan was a signatory to the Third Geneva Conventions prior to the US/NATO invasion of 2001. That is the Bush administration has given Taliban fighters POW status under the Geneva Conventions.

On the other hand, Al Qaeda is obviously not a signatory to the conventions. Accordingly, captured Al Qaeda terrorists are not entitled to POW status under the Third Geneva Convention.

How about this other news: yesterday, a US appeals court denied four former British detainees of their right to sue the Pentagon’s henchmen for their torture and mistreatment…great timing, huh?

Comment by Impolitics — January 11, 2008 @ 10:27 pm

As well as allowing Republicans to hold office. they have done far more damage than the Taliban and Al Qaeda together.

Exactly. What so many people fail to realize is that mistreatment of prisoners is not just against countless laws; it goes against every noble trait our society values and spits on the memories of countless American Patriots.

After one says one is against illegal detainment, there are no “buts”. It must stop! regardless of risk or perceived tactical disadvantage. Continuing to illegally detain prisoners will destroy what’s always been best about our country.

I doubt the Taliban signed onto the GC — but WE did.

BTW, quite a diversion with the women being mistreated by the Taliban — what does that have to do with the fact that we are holding these people without due process, and torturing them?

Does that make you feel all safe? Maybe warm and fuzzy? I thought y’all were the ones with the “morals.”

The Federal Court of Canada Thursday struck down a refugee agreement [judgment, PDF] between Canada and the US, noting that the US does not meet international refugee protection requirements or respect international conventions against torture. Justice Michael Phelan essentially nullified the 2004 Safe Third Country Agreement , which barred foreign refugees who first arrived in the US from seeking refugee status in Canada and vice versa. Phelan noted that the US has not been compliant with the Refugee Convention or the UN Convention Against Torture. The court also held that the agreement discriminates against refugees based on how they first arrived in Canada and thus violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms .

This ought to make the crowd that wrapped themselves in faded flags feel pretty good about what they have accomplished under the criminal bush administration. This is the world view of America that they have created and supported.
Yipee!

I didn’t see a dime from it .

And yes – i think they should get a fair trial and if found guilty then – death penalty.

There are cases where people can’t be held in trial because you can’t show them your evidence . this are cases when if you reveal your evidence than you might put in danger the source of the evidence – it’s legitimate under the international law to put this kind of people in arrest without trial.

When I said i hope they shoot the prisoners i meant that this prisoners should get death penalty. we have here prisoners that helped put suicide bombers in buses that explode and killed many civilians- if the cost of giving them the death penalty is also giving you your $$- then you can shove your dollars up your ass.

As for the gitmo prisoners- if US can charge some of them there is no reason not to give them death penalty- and it doesn’t matter what they were wearing when arrested.

Anyone who thinks the GC was intended to apply to people like AQ does not understand the history behind the treaty.
Comment by Keltoi at Night — January 11, 2008 @ 6:29 pm

Very well. Who decides who is a terrorist? Because as of now, it appears that his Majesty El Busho can call whomever he dislikes a terrorist, sending people to be tortured in secret CIA prisons all over the world, or happily exported to be tortured in foreign countries.

“Well, we waterboarded the Al Qaeda unlawful enemy combatants (most of which we captured outside of combat) until they admitted they were Al Qaeda. See, we were right!”

before bush we were the greatest country in the world. Respected by all other nations of the world. Everyone wanted to be like us…

Now, since bush, we are the despised nazis of the 21st century…..what do you think can be our fate? Why do you hate America Keltoi and the rest of you trolls?

Comment by Keltoi at Night

This does not justify the criminal behavior of the bush admin. holding people in prison for years without even a lawyer or trial and torture…….

do I have to repeat myself? Do you really wish to destroy America? Why do you guys hate America?

At least we’re supposed to be a beacon of hope in a World of Darkness.

To bad Dumbya sold us out to the “terrrrrrrists.”

Comment by Fred — January 11, 2008 @ 6:38 pm

Careful, Fred, sentiments like that will get you in trouble around here…

Americans are better than this….we do not torture…..we do not hold people in jail for any reason without a trial in a reasonable amount of time and they are entitled to a lawyer……This is America. We are different. We are better.

Where’s the legal, not to mention moral, precedent for holding foreign nationals incommunicado, without charge or hearing? Show me the statute, State, Federal, or International which states, “Under these circumstances you are permited to hold Foreign Nationals in dire conditions including, but not limited to: heat/cold, shackles/restraints yada, yada, yada. and, by the way, you don’t have to tell anybody that you have them, why you have them, where you have them, and you don’t have to let anyone check on their welfare.”

It’s wrong. I don’t need a big bunch of legal banter to say so. And I dare anybody to find the law(s) which condone what the U.S. has done. The closest they may come is some obscure “signing statement” which promises “retroactive immunity”. However, I don’t think any interpretation which supported our treatment of prisoners would fly in an international court.

These ‘combatants’ were supposedly caught on the field of battle without uniforms>?

Then why are there numerous reports that they were sold for bounty, after being caught by Pakistanis and sold to the police?

That’s not a battlefield capture.

And it’s not just one or two of the detainees, either.

The main point is that there is no recognizable judicial process at work here.
Period.

Shackled, hooded men kneeling before their captors.

Comment by Fred — January 11, 2008 @ 6:21 pm

Yes, I regretted that last sentence after I posted it. I am curious if the Taliban were signatories of the GC, but we should follow it regardless. I still do not think the GC protections extend to terrorists. Mohammad Atta went to his death wearing jeans and a button up shirt, not robes. Anyone who thinks the GC was intended to apply to people like AQ does not understand the history behind the treaty.