Guantanamo Bay is a complete flouting of international war. It should be vilified by all civilised people. The fact that it exists at all is an illustration of what I believe is wrong with the USA.
Following Al Qaeda attack of 9/11 there was what was called ‘A War Against Terror’. Despite the fact that the 9/11 was carried out mainly by Saudi Arabians (an ally) with no Iraqis involved, it was decided to invade Iraq – and then Afghanistan (which at least did have some connection with the planning – although some planning was carried out in Germany and they weren’t bombed).
The turmoil in the Middle East resulted in the rise of various militant Islamic groups such as ISIS.
A lot of ISIS soldiers and other terrorist suspects were rounded up.
There was a new term in use – unlawful combatant.
Despite the fact that these people (Taliban and ISIS and Al Qaeda) were largely fighting in their own lands they were rounded up and designated ‘unlawful combatants’.
Nobody knew what to do with them. There were no ways of processing them. If released they might go back to fighting.
So they weren’t awarded prisoner of war status. They were not held on US territory. They were shipped to Guantanamo Bay where they could be held indefinitely in subhuman cages. They were not given a trial or any due process and were tortured.
This basically means that anybody could be rounded up, locked up and tortured at will. All human rights were denied.
Now, I know many will shout – ‘Good riddance’ ‘They deserve it!’ ‘They are a bunch of terrorists’.
Well I contend that if they are terrorists they should be tried in a court and punished accordingly. If they are soldiers they should be afforded prisoner of war status. And if they are innocent they should be set free.
Guantanamo seems to me to be a brutal, uncivilised way to treat human beings. If we are setting an example to the rest of the world I don’t think this is the way to do it.
Guantanamo is an outrage!