mikkey 0 #1 February 15, 2006 Everytime Gitmo comes up a lot of people claim that everybody detained is a terrorist and that all were captured red handed. Here is an interesting article that punctures those myth's: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4708946.stm Some extracts: QuoteAccording to the US Department of Defense, only 8% of the prisoners at Guantanamo were al-Qaeda fighters, and only 5% of them were captured by the Americans themselves. The overwhelming majority of the others were handed over to the Americans by people who could reasonably be called bounty hunters. QuoteAccording to the Pentagon, 95% of them were not captured by the Americans themselves. Some 86% were handed over in Afghanistan and Pakistan after a widespread campaign in which big financial bounties were offered in exchange for anyone suspected of links to al-Qaeda and the Taleban. The US lawyers quote the text of one of the notices the Americans handed out: "Get wealth and power beyond your dreams... You can receive millions of dollars helping the anti-Taleban forces catch al-Qaeda and Taleban murderers. "This is enough money to take care of your family, your village, your tribe for the rest of your life." So, according to the figures supplied by the Pentagon, it looks as though more than 440 men out of the total of 517 at Guantanamo were handed over to the Americans in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a direct result of these bounties. QuoteYet a thorough analysis by an American law professor and a defence lawyer of information released by the US defence department revealed last week that 92% of the 517 Guantanamo detainees had not been al-Qaeda fighters. Of these, 40% have no clear connection with al-Qaeda, and 18% have no connection with either al-Qaeda or the Taleban. In total, 60% are there because they have been accused of being associated with a group which the US government regards as a terrorist organisation. Most detainees are regarded as enemy combatants. Among the criteria reportedly used to define an enemy combatant are these: possession of a rifle; possession of a Casio watch; and wearing olive drab clothing. In Afghanistan it has long been regarded as normal for every adult male to have a gun, because there was so much violence in the country. Casio watches and olive-coloured clothes can be bought in every market in every town in the country. QuoteDuring the past few weeks there has been a widespread hunger strike among the prisoners there. It was effectively ended last week when the prison authorities took tough action to deal with the hunger strikers. It seems as though they were worried about the effect on international opinion if one or more of the prisoners were to die. The hunger strikers were strapped into "restraint chairs" and forcibly fed. The Pentagon says the tactics used were humane and compassionate. According to American lawyers representing some of the prisoners, one of the methods was for riot control soldiers to hold the prisoners down while long plastic tubes were inserted into their nasal passages and down into their stomachs. A Washington lawyer who visited Guantanamo last week called it "a disgrace". --------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #2 February 15, 2006 QuoteAmong the criteria reportedly used to define an enemy combatant are these: possession of a rifle; possession of a Casio watch; and wearing olive drab clothing. All I can say is don't believe everything you read. I have been there(both hot spots) and I have personally sent plenty of the current residents there after they tried to kill me or my men. Owning a rifle is not grounds for being declared a enemy combatant. In fact, every man in the household is allowed to own a weapon and one magazine. Most don't wear watches but the ones that do usualy also are the ones shooting at you and also have things like grenades, RPGs, hand held radios on them.All of which are prohibited by Afghan law and common knowledge to the populace. Most if not all of them wear man jammies or other normal seasonal clothes. People aren't picked up for the clothes they wear but for their actions. Understand those printing articles like the one posted are serving an agenda and are only painting one jaded side of the story. Just out of curiosity, how much press is given to the Afghan/ Iraqi people that are saved everyday by US and Allied forces be it natural disaster or common accidents? I can tell you one thing, the list from one days worth of MedEvacs would astound people. Might I add, all of this treatment is free of charge and US/Allied troops put their lives in danger to save these people. So the next time someone throws percentages and so called facts out there, remember that it is far from the whole story."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikkey 0 #3 February 15, 2006 QuoteAll I can say is don't believe everything you read. Agree - especially in regard to whats posted on SC However John Simpson is a highly regarded journalist - wnd who has been on the frontline in both "hot spots". QuoteI have been there(both hot spots) and I have personally sent plenty of the current residents there after they tried to kill me or my men. Owning a rifle is not grounds for being declared a enemy combatant. Have you personally arrested insurgents who are now in Gitmo or just arrested people who are now detained somewhere else? The article is about Gitmo and according to the Pentagon only 5% of those held in Gitmo were arrested by US forces. The key issue is that people have been held without any trial or proof of guilt for years and are being held indefinately. Key argument from people defending this has been that those must be "bad guys" because they have been captured "on the battlefield". Now this is obviously not true. Another issue is that POW's at least know that when the war is over they wil be released. The so called "war on terror" wil never end (it should be called "fight against terror" instead). It would be naive to think that we ever get to a situation where there is no terror or no threat of terror. So these guys are going to die in detention without being proven guilty of crimes? There are plenty of examples of detainees who either are very small fish or innocent. But it is OK to just hold people without due process? I think you have be quite desperate to start a hunger strike under the circumstances. What is going to happen when some of the detainees die? The cartoon controversy will be nothing against this. The biggest help the US can give Al Qaeda is the way Gitmo is operated.--------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites