Informed Comment

Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion

Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute

Monday, June 16, 2008

McClatchy Guantanamo Guards Abused Known Innocents

John McCain's attack on the Supreme Court for upholding the right of Habeas Corpus even for Guantanamo detainees was self-serving and hypocritical. But it was also ethically wrong, because the Guantanamo system is ethically wrong.

Tom Lasseter of McClatchy reports that the news service has done extensive interviewing with 66 prisoners released from Guantanamo and found that most were either innocent or were lower level Taliban foot soldiers with no ties to international terrorism. McClatchy argues that the prisoners were routinely abused even after it became clear that they had no intelligence value. Some were radicalized by being tortured by the US, so that when they were released as innocent, they turned to attacking US interests. (This finding is the reply to the wingnuts who complain that prisoners released from Guantanamo sometimes thereafter join insurgent groups to hit US targets abroad.)

6 Comments:

At 7:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just criticism of McCain on the habeaus corpus decision but not one word of objection to Obama's full court grovel at AIPAC week before last, Juan? You found something "ethical" in that latter?

John Lowell

 
At 8:24 AM, Anonymous John Q said...

Newt Gingrich claims that the recent SCOTUS decision on habeas corpus could "cost us a city." It's more likely that radicalizing innnocents by brutalizing them at Guantanamo could cost us a city after they go home and sign up for the jihad.

 
At 8:29 AM, Anonymous PUMAParty.Com said...

Hello everyone.

I wanted to let you all know about some big things going on with the Hillary / PUMA Party movement.

PUMAParty.Com recently launched a combination of tools to help everyone spread the word and support causes related to Hillary, PUMA and anything else relevant

There are now over 425 members on the forums and many more are registering daily to show their support. There are sections to organize, network and take action. Time is limited so any suggestions or info you could share would be awesome.

Also, at the same website you can now get your very own PUMA Party Blog in a few seconds. Use it to post your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, press releases or anything else you feel is important. Each blog is linked from the homepage that receives thousands of hits per day.

I have also been notified by the admins there that they are willing to do anything they can to help the various causes related to PUMA etc. including spreading press releases to supporters, starting forum sections so that supporters of individual causes can network with the overall user base, fundraising efforts or anything else they can help with.

I hope you'll all stop by and say hello and help us move forward.

Thanks for a wonderful site, I will ask them to add it to the link section if it's not there already. Please link back if possible.

http://www.pumaparty.com

Talk to you all soon,

Amy

 
At 10:11 PM, Anonymous John Q said...

America stands for individual liberty.

Habeas Corpus is one of the cornerstones American freedoms.

John McCain attacks the Supreme Court for upholding constitutional liberties.

Why does John McCain hate America?

 
At 3:08 AM, Blogger Daro said...

Me very confused. I thought McCain was against Gitmo.. ?

Maverick is one thing, but a lost sheep is another...

 
At 9:11 AM, Blogger Christiane said...

To Amy, from the Puma party

I'm not an American and can't vote in the coming elections (although, given the (malefic) influence of the US foreign policy on the every day life of other citizen in the world, we should have our say in this choice).

Here is what I've to tell : it is shamefull for a true Democrat to call for a vote in favor of a Republican, only because they don't like the candidate chosen in the primary. It is totally irresponsible, to the point that I'm wondering whether the opening of this pumaparty website isn't a covert action, a manipulation by the Republicans, trying to take advantage of the splitted results of the Democrate primaries.

I don't see how any faithfull Democrate could support such a thing as voting for McCain. At most, those frustrated by the choice of Obama could just "vote with their feet" aka refuse to participate in the presidential election.

If Hillary was honnest, she should swiftly offer a public statement clearly indicating that she has nothing to do with such manipulations and calling for support of the Democrat nominee.

 

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