Why do terrorist have rights?

Question

If we capture a non U.S. Citizen that is terrorist should he or she have U.S. rights?

Answer 1

there are inalienable human rights, agreed upon in the Geneva Conventions, that apply to all humans. Though they may ultimately be executed, they are afforded the right to due process. This prevents using some label like "terrorist" to rob just about anyone of their rights and have them killed. Like in the days of the Salem witch hunts- all you had to do was call someone out as a witch, and they lost all their rights and were burned at the stake. If terrorists had no rights by law, then if the system wanted someone destroyed, all you have to do is accuse them or frame them as terrorists and you've got them canned. At least with due process, the system would have to really spend a heck of a lot of time and effort on pushing a falsely-accused person through the system. It's always doable, but with due process, framing someone is harder to pull off and there are a lot more chances for the plot to unfold.

When people defend human rights rollbacks by saying "if you're not a terrorist, you have nothing to fear!" it's not true. We're founded on the principle that we have the right to overthrow our government if it fails to work for the people (Declaration of Independance) and if due process is taken away, we lose that power because the government can annhialate anyone they perceive as a threat. I hate to sound like some sort of extremist or anarchist, which I'm not, but let's not forget our founding documents and what concepts this country was built on.

Answer 2

I don't think so. I was listening to one of the shock jocks today who went down to a prison they were being held in and talked to one of the detainees who questioned the prisoners. Some of the terrorists are so violent, they have threatened him and his family. They play mind games and threaten the other guards as well. They will yell threats and taunts at these men, but the guards can't say anything back, because even yelling back at them might be considered 'torture' to the lily livered left.
(I'm not a total conservative, but in things like this, I'm not a lib, either.)

Btw, for everyone saying they deserve 'rights'; a person forfeits their rights when they commit a crime such as murder. Try killing someone even here in the U.S. and see how much rights you still have.

Answer 3

Yes, the U.S. is one of the only countries that complies with the Geneva Convention. If we were to just torture or kill non U.S. citizens we would be no better then they are. Remember we do the right thing. This is why we are still at war. We do the job right, until it is done.

Answer 4

No one should have US rights unless they are a US citizen. If someone is caught by another country, they should have the rights in their country being transferred to where they're caught. For example, if a US person is caught in Iraq, let's say, the US citizen should have right to a fair trial, whether or not it's a right of Iraqi citizens.

Or, that's what I believe at least.

Answer 5

They shouldn't have equal rights to US citizens, but torture is cruel and out of the question. I'm in favor of a quick execution for high offenders. Saddam Hussein ought to be DEAD by now. The United Nations can take a long walk off a short pier with all the crap they shove down our throats.

Firstd1mension you rock.

Answer 6

A terrorist, believe it or not, is human. So, it's only right that the country that captured him respects the rights that belong to every human.

Answer 7

According to agreements made with the UN the United States is obligated to obide by international laws. It's frustrating I know, but it helps to protect our citizens when they are captured and accused of crimes in other countries.

Answer 8

I don't see why. They are criminals. When you declare war on the U.S. you should be treated as militery prisoners of war. If you belong to an army and are capyured in uniform wth ID. The Geneva convention protects you. Out of uniform and no ID- You are a spy and should have NO RIGHTS. Immediate Execution.

Answer 9

Non U.S. Citizen; no reason to extend full American rights to such a person; that would be just a lawyers full employment act and make fighting terrorism impossible. Watch the left on this one; they will be eager to try and extend our rights to foreign enemies you watch.

Answer 10

Well, that comes down to the fundamental question of who is protected under our Constitution. The Constitution says all men are created equal, not "all American citizens are created equal." It's easy to give in to temptation to dehumanize these people, but we're really compromising our own system and structure.