How is detaining your enemy without trial or charge considered bringing them to justice?

Question

Isn't that a slap in the face of what our democracy is all about?

"Justice for all, but only if you're not an enemy combatant." (Small placard seen taped in front of Lady Justice.)

Answer 1

In a war - any war - there must be some sort of accomodation for the captured enemy. Prisoners of war must be held to prevent them from rejoining their army to fight some more. Both sides of the conflict must make arrangements for the humane imprisonment.

The problem is, this is NOT a war. Only Congress can declare war. This is a "conflict" just as Vietnam and Korea were. Our country hasn't been in a war since WWII.

During that war, we didn't always behave admirably. We rounded up anyone who looked Japanese, citizen or not, born here or not, took their possessions and shipped them off to "holding camps" far from home where they remained for the duration of the war. Many captured Germans and others from the European theater were shipped here and contained in camps. Most captured were held in Europe in prison camps there.

Because it is not a war, the administration has been able to skirt the Geneva Convention rules of imprisonment. Mr. Bush has used the excuse that these are enemy combatants, not soldiers, so therefore Geneva rules don't apply.

It is a shameful thing for our country. Nowhere in our National conscience does it say that it is OK to hold people, without being charged, with no proof. Nothing that permits the torture and deprivation of these combatants. Not ONE of the over 300 prisoners there have ever been found guilty of anything. Not one has been held up in front of our nation as an "evil-doer". In spite of the dreadful conditions, the deprivation, the torture and all the rest, our people have not been able to point a finger to a single one of the prisoners and say..."this is what he did". These people are not prisoners of war. They have been kidnapped and held against their will. They have been denied access to the Red Cross, a spiritual leader, mail to and from home and so much more. It is an abomination...and proves the character of Mr. Bush and his cronies.

This character, or lack of it, has been displayed worldwide by the Abu Gharaib business. There it is, that is what Bush thinks is fine. It makes you wonder what goes on in Gitmo behind closed doors.

Are some of them "bad guys" who wish us ill? More than likely. But, our country is built on the basis of human rights, innocent until proven guilty, fairness and justice in our courts. These folks that have been incarcerated should be put on trial either by our courts or by an international court. Let the government prove them guilty of something. If they cannot, then send these people home.

People in our country who think this treatment is perfectly fine should put on another hat for a moment. What if those 300 plus people were American soldiers being held in a foreign country? What if it was OUR soldiers being tortured, deprived and treated inhumanely? Would it still be prefectly fine?

I remember how outraged we were when Iran took hostages at the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and held for 444 days. We railed at their confinement and beat our chests about the treatment they were receiving. By the admission of the hostages themselves; while it was a terrible experience and many of them lost a lot of weight and were terrified, the worst thing that happened to them were being kept in solitary confinement most of the time and "paraded, blindfolded, in front of the "people". They were not physically tortured. They were held against their will - just as the Gitmo prisoners are....

I really think we are a better people than that. I believe as a people we have a sense of right and wrong, justice and injustice. We have been diminished by this and by other actions of the madman in Washington. We will NEVER feel the same about ourselves again, never be sure that we are indeed a beacon of freedom and liberty to the world. Somewhere in the back of our national conscience, we will always remember that, when it comes right down to it, we are no better than our enemy.

Answer 2

At this point in time our government sucks. Bush is a horrible president and the world thinks of the U.S. as ridiculous because of the stupid mistakes that Bush keeps on making. He has got to get his IQ above the average of a monkey. Nothing that he says makes any sense whatsoever. He has even been caught on tape making up words just because he doesnt know what to respond. you would think that he would get someone to help him with his poor grammar. With Bush as president justice doesnt exist. It is a crime alone to have him as president and have people supporting a baboon with a suit and tie.

Answer 3

It is not, Our nation is no longer brave, or moral in any sense in my view. I pray against it, I pray it fails like a bully that some little kid fights against and wins. I served honorable service in the Navy and Marines in the 1980,s to defend against these very acts, now it commits treason and is become an abomination in my sight and I pray my God daily to be against it for me. Pre-emptive strike is for cowards not brave men and so also is illegal detentions and torture, all actions of a cowardly immoral people, Americans not my Americans.
I informed the President, CIA, FBI, secret Service, Homeland Security, Schools, Family and Friends that I renounce any and all alliance to this government and support all opposition against it. Here I am, Beast in HeMet CA and though I suffer at the hands of these vipers for this government I rest assured that in a future life I will have an America that is free, that is the home of the brave and upright people, not a scum nation like this current one has become.

Answer 4

I agree with the other person that answered. If you read the Geneva Convention, it clearly states that people found on the battle field in civilian clothes, not representing a country or govt, or military can be killed without trial.
These are terrorists, they answer to no Govt, military, or country's laws, there fore we are doing them a favor by just holding them.

Answer 5

read the Geneva convention rules. They could be hung or shot when captured. What do you think is better?
Our rules for OUR people not all people just as their rules don't apply here.
I'd rather just shoot them when captured