Charges Dropped for Two Gitmo Detainees

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6720315.stm

A US military judge has thrown out charges against two Guantanamo Bay detainees, casting fresh doubt on efforts to try foreign terror suspects.
Both cases collapsed because military authorities had failed to designate the men as "unlawful" enemy combatants.

In one case a Canadian man, Omar Khadr, was accused of killing a US soldier in Afghanistan with a grenade.

Charges were also dropped against Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a Yemeni accused of being Osama Bin Laden's driver and bodyguard.

(Snip)

Under a new system of military justice approved by Congress last year, detainees facing trial must be designated "unlawful enemy combatants".

When they were assessed years earlier they were described only as "enemy combatants". The word "unlawful" did not appear, giving the new tribunals no jurisdiction.

It seems the same may apply to all the other 380 detainees, leaving the tribunal system in legal limbo while Bush administration lawyers race to clarify the situation.
...
All charges were dropped in the case of Salim Ahmed Hamdan, accused of serving both as chauffeur and bodyguard to al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.

Sigh... and I can remember when it was a big thing that the "chauffeur and bodyguard of Bin Laden" was captured; officials saying that they can get valuable information from him... Bollocks. I wish the people responsible for the administration of the prison had gotten off their backsides, determined whom they have evidence against, gave them a decent trial and released anyone else. As it is, Guantanamo has become a blot on the reputation of any country that somehow helped this project, and a testament to the weakness of all HR organizations.

 

So ... kept there for about 5 years without trial and then ... nothing. Wow. US incompetence just hit a new level...

 

One can easily make an argument for indefinite precautionary detention, based on that, after what the US have done to them, they will by now certainly hate America, and thus pose a grave and gathering security threat and cannot possibly be ever set free again.

And because all that is so utterly embarassing, and the nagging doubt that the US might still have missed a bad guy in their post-9/11 dragnet just won't go away, despite all efforts and enhanced interrogation techniques, better don't realease anyone anyway, and keep it all secret.

 

Well, last time I checked there was talk about pressing charges to more detainees, but it was still about 10%. And if the charges are such as those pressed against those two, I must say to the US citizens here that this mess is not giving their homeland a good name.

 

I don't know how they can get away with Guantanamo Bay.

 

One word: Power. Because o no one can do anything against it using force without fearing massive retaliation. Because the US have a veto right in the UNSC and thus will not face a resultion condemning them. Because the US are still important enough that such stuff combined with stern admonitions to allied and hostile nations over their human rights record is merely obnoxious and annoying, but hey, that's how those Americans are. Learn to live with their peculiar little quirks. Not that you have a choice.
Just look at that attitude: Gitmo, Schmitmo, torture, schmorture - the US is the global human rights leader! .

The man is either totally impervious to irony, earnest and believes what he sais or a dyed in the wool cynic.

The fate of Gitmo innates briefly gains publicity when it is about Brits, Australians, Germans - but Afghan or Pakistani dirt farmers have no real lobby. While it will be addressed regularly in talks between the US and Europe, the US just as reliably ignore it, and reply they do what they think they got to do. End of story. The possibility of error doesn't dawn on the likes of Bush easily, if ever. 'Moral clarity' ensures that.

[ June 10, 2007, 13:43: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

 

Heh. No choice, how true. The emperor may be ever so slightly retarded and ramble to his courtiers of his resplendent magnificence, at which the courtiers have to dutifully nod. However, he also indulges us in turn. We are, after all, allowed to take exception, make a show of protest secret prison facilities, abductions, file charges against his thugs and other gestures that go nowhere.

So, not all is bad. And to tell the emperor to sod off... now, that just wont do. People tortured to death or no.

Long live the emperor. Seriously. We deserve him.

 

American foreign policy has always had a messianic streak. It doesn't matter which party rules. And that the American Way of Life is the only true and right one, and a model to be emulated by the entire rest of the world isn't news either.

Partly the statements by the Bush administration are delusional. Why that is so? My best guess is that Americas politicians, in the Bush administration in particular but not exclusively, having always been better at propaganda than the Russkies, ended up believing their own propaganda image of themselves and anybody else. That's why master Casey can with a straight face say what he said. Because he believes it.

And you can have that too! Tell everyone you meet with a beaming smile: Despite my few shortcomings it is an established fact that I am the greatest guy/gal on earth. In fact, it would be a dereliction of my responsibility and a negation of my values not to remind you!' Repeat if neccessary. Just think of all the dates you'll get that way.

 

That article is interesting, if not quite original, but one thing really hit me:

"State Department spokesman Tom Casey said none of the criticism would diminish Washington's commitment to safeguarding human and civil rights."

Why, I hope so. In fact, among intelligent adults criticism is supposed to motivate one to improve, rather than worsen, one's performance. The "you don't like me, so f... you!" response fits neuralgic teens, drunks, and (except for the language) little kids, not statesmen.

With all my respect for Ms. Rice, who said "We do not issue these reports because we think ourselves perfect, but rather because we know ourselves to be deeply imperfect," perhaps she should speak to some speechwriters working for her administration. It is a view that needs to be much more prevalent in any country.

 

I would prefer deeds over words. Talk is cheap. That commitment should show results, at home. As long as the US afford themselves Gitmo, disappearances, torture and the torture debate, whatever they say will ring hollow.

The Bush administration doesn't accept criticism that could improve their human rights practice. They refuse any suggestion that the US tortures with furious anger in face of such injustice! When you tell them they torture, they explain to you that they use 'enhanced interrogation techniques', which unlike torture are legal. Take waterboarding. See? No torture. I feel better already.

And you know what, that thing on my desk is no pencil but a graphite writing device. You got that wrong. Don't trust your lieing eyes. What you just read is no sacrastic post but in reality a 'warm, fuzzy and friendly comment'. Aaah, ain't I nice? I like me Speaking about it, I'm niceliness champion on this board. What's not to like about warm, fuzzy and friendly comments?

 

Another black mark on America's war history then (I say War because the prision is technicaly militarity).

Australians have been crying for the release of David Hicks from Guantanamo for years now, and they had NO EVIDENCE againced him.

He was there for about 5-7 years. I'll find a news source for you later, but I have to go now.

 

BTW, I heard Powell call for the closure of the complex once more. Would any of this have any impact, i.e. on the positions of presidential candidates? I would expect that Powell's conservative credentials are beyond doubt.