Former Guantanamo prosecutor speaks out: Gitmo has ‘sullied’ U.S. military and the Constitution.
By on Dec 3rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Former Guantanamo prosecutor speaks out: Gitmo has ‘sullied’ U.S. military and the Constitution.
Former Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, a former U.S. prosecutor at Guantanamo, told BBC yesterday in his first interview since resigning earlier this year that Guantanamo detainees were treated in a “wrong, unethical and finally, immoral” manner. Vandeveld was so “appalled” by the conditions at Guantanamo that he consulted his Jesuit priest, who told him to resign. “I never suffered such anguish in my life about anything,” he said. Watch BBC’s segment:
A Pentagon spokesman responded: “We dispute Darrel Vandeveld’s assertions and maintain the military commission process provides full and fair trials to accused unlawful enemy combatants who are charged with a variety of war crimes.”
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Guts and Glory Former LTC!! Call it like it is.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:43 pmI am sure the thugs of the crime family will blame this on someone else in their effort to rewrite history for a postitive legacy for the shrub.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:46 pmA Pentagon spokesman responded: “We dispute Darrel Vandeveld’s assertions and maintain the military commission process provides full and fair trials to accused unlawful enemy combatants who are charged with a variety of war crimes.”
Of course, this doesn’t cover when we re-classify prisoners, have someone else do our dirty work, or ignore our own Constitution in failing to provide fair representation and a speedy trial, but why quibble??
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:47 pm“I never suffered such anguish in my life about anything,”….We Said!!
Unfortunately there are many Americans, too many, that have no Ethics, Honor, or Morals….
….as in our repukian, brownshirt, fascist trolls.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:47 pmIsn’t it a bit embarrassing that whenever a whistleblower wants to get his message about wrongdoings within our Government out to the world they feel compelled to go to overseas news organizations?
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:49 pmGestapo methods, ’nuff said.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pm“We dispute Darrel Vandeveld’s assertions and maintain the military commission process provides full and fair trials to accused unlawful enemy combatants who are charged with a variety of war crimes.”
First of all, there have been what…2 trials? Second, how can they call it a “full and fair trial” if you are not allowed to see the evidence against you so that you can mount a defense.
All the people who have been involved in these despicable acts can rot in hell, because that’s where they are headed. I wonder how they can look at themselves in the mirror.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pmI am ashamed (again) by this admin’s actions.
We are all shamed.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: “I wonder how they can look at themselves in the mirror.”
The glare from all the medals they pin on themselves obscures the blackness of their souls.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:01 pm…and once again, the progressives were correct. Again.
The republicans merely hamper the truth until they can cut their losses, all the while smearing the real truth tellers, whistle-blowers and authentic patriots who are actually defending the Constitution. They cobble together legalistic “delay fuses” so they’ll be out of the building before the whole thing goes up.
bush gets ‘awarded’ a sham “medal of peace,” while real patriots like Joe Darby, who has well earned and deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor, imho, get spat upon.
Burn in Hell, republicans.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:03 pmAny bets on how quickly the neocon whackjobs will start calling this person a traitor and all the other Bush Crime Family monikers for those who dare to tell the truth?
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 pmA Pentagon spokesman responded: “We dispute Darrel Vandeveld’s assertions and maintain the military commission process provides full and fair trials to accused unlawful enemy combatants who are charged with a variety of war crimes.”
Well, if what you mean by a “full and fair trial” is that the judges, jury, and prosecutor are one and the same — namely, the military under the command of the SecDef and ultimately the preznit, — and that you don’t get to see the evidence against you, to pick your own lawyer, the standard rules of evidence are suspended, and they can use evidence obtained from you by torture. Not to mention they get to spy on your lawyers and whatever you might say to them … and they want ‘convictions’ all around, no matter what the cost or the insult to justice…. More here.
Cheers,
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:06 pmCurlew Says:
Any bets on how quickly the neocon whackjobs will start calling this person a traitor and all the other Bush Crime Family monikers for those who dare to tell the truth?
And he’l be smeared for not staying in the service and fixing the problem… “If he really cared so much, why would he leave?”
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm“Full and fair trials”??? Did I miss something? How many of the detainees have received full and fair trials? Or ANY trial, for that matter?
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 pmAnyone who has read the documents and transcripts that were released regarding the ’status hearings’ of Gitmo prisoners, can plainly see that even those hearings were simply lists of accusations based on secret ‘evidence’ and hearsay and without even appearances of ‘witnesses for the prosecution’ let alone ‘witness for the defense’–let alone the corrboration of ‘facts’ or even the most basic of cross examination ( because there was never anyone to cros-examine except the ‘defendant’).
The docs are .pdfs and I belive I got them via TPMuckRaker ( I have them on my Hard Drive ) and they make for tragic and blood-boiling reading.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:48 pm” Isn’t it a bit embarrassing that whenever a whistleblower wants to get his message about wrongdoings within our Government out to the world they feel compelled to go to overseas news organizations?”
The American press has no standing when it comes to reporting period!!!! This nation is in it’s worst troubles because the press (who had been given free rein in the constitution)is not doing it’s job in providing a protection against the Government running over the constitution. They were our eyes and ears upto such time when the blood dollar value was greater then there own values. Case in point….we would not be in Irqa if the press had done it’s job and report that the CIA Letter that was brought in as evidence was a bogus letter. The press in Europe knew it, the Italian press who discovered the letter knew it…but for some reason (blood money)the American MSM thought what the government says must be true….F’en idiots.
If you can’t see what a FACIST GOVERNMENT/COURNTY has become, you are spending to much time looking at the stock ticker.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:14 pmI saw the piece on BBC America last night. LTC Vandervelt started out believing he was on the side of good, fighting evil. Gradually he realized he was participating in a travesty of justice. He contacted a Jesuit priest and asked him what to do. The priest advised him to quit, which he promptly did. Now There’s an example of conscience in action! If only George W could contact somebody who could touch his conscience…Sorry, I just realized how silly it is to mention George W and conscience in the same sentance.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:42 pmImpeach, There’s Still Time!
“Abu Ben Hussein Leporello Says:
I saw the piece on BBC America last night. LTC Vandervelt started out believing he was on the side of good, fighting evil. Gradually he realized he was participating in a travesty of justice. He contacted a Jesuit priest and asked him what to do. The priest advised him to quit, which he promptly did. Now There’s an example of conscience in action!”
It’s a shame Colin Powell and Scotty McCellen didn’t find their consciences until after they quit.
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pmBased on Vandervelt’s use of moral searching, conscience, and acting on his beliefs (which apparently meant walking away from a good careeer and loosing what he had worked for), can I nominate him to some high-ranking post ?
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:19 pmApologize for the mis-spelling of his name:
Vandeveld
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:20 pmFinally, a real Officer and Gentleman, no longer routinely expected, a man that stands for principle and law, knowing that for it, his otherwise successful career is now on the line. Many of the high ranking of today belong in prison for their knowing corporation in the Bush crimes of war.
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:33 pmTP – Please name this “Pentagon spokesman”, because he was lying. The Military Commissions Act provides neither “full” nor “fair” trials. Any trial in which classified, anonymous evidence can be presented is not a fair trial. Defense attorneys were discouraged from giving their clients a vigorous defense (as their oaths as lawyers require), and some who did were eventuially kicked out of the military. Remember Lt Cmdr Charles Swift? He was denied a promotion and, according to the Navy’s rules, had to leave the Navy, because he actually defended his client.
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:43 pmChiming in here very late, but I think the most amazing thing is this:
Col Vandeveld was forced to undergo a mental status evaluation after expressing his concerns and his military career is over.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the inmates have been running the nuthouse, when a sane man of conscience is the one thought to be “crazy.”
December 4th, 2008 at 8:27 am23. impeachCheney-
Of course, this is the same thing we criticized Russia for a few years back.
Where is the Siberian Gulag ?
December 4th, 2008 at 12:00 pmGestapo methods, ’nuff said. araç sorgulama
March 18th, 2009 at 5:23 am