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Is Gitmo Worse Under Obama?
A disturbing report from Reuters: According to a lawyer who represents Guantanamo detainees, abuse of prisoners has worsened significantly since Obama won the election. Guards want to "get their kicks in" before the camp closes, said British lawyer Ahmed Ghappour, who represents 31 detainees. "He cited beatings, the dislocation of limbs, spraying of pepper spray into closed cells, applying pepper spray to toilet paper and over-forcefeeding detains who are on hunger strike," according to Reuters. The Pentagon confirmed that it had received new abuse reports, but said camp conduct was still in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. According to Ghappour, the new abuse began in December and has escalated since the new president's inauguration. Ghappour does not believe the abuse comes as a directive from the top, but is a symptom of frustration on the ground and a sentiment that Ghappour characterizes as "hey let's have our fun while we can."
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what a ridiculously misleading headline.
I certainly hope these things are being carefully documented by somebody. This is criminal, thuggish behavior.
When Holder was at Guantanamo recently and didn't see anything untoward, I'm surprised he didn't insist on opening a few closed doors unexpectedly. He must have know that anything he saw was probably sanitized.
Considering the difficulty the International Red Cross has in getting in to do welfare checks on the prisoners, I'd suggest that Holder make it a priority to make another trip immediately and take an IRC investigative group with him. If Holder doesn't know where to look for the true story on prisoner treatment, the Red Cross would.
In fact, I think that Guatanamo should immediately be declared an active crime scene, with an international forensics investigation team installed on the grounds immediately. Otherwise, by the time the compound is closed, any evidence (say, buried bodies of tortured prisoners) would be bulldozed over, thrown into the ocean, or otherwise sanitized.
I don't believe anyone should be forgiven for frankly illegal and abusive behavior done in the name of the U.S. Justice may not be so palatable served cold, but it's the only way to aim ourselves on the path of a just and righteous democracy.
Torture doesn't work, the only thing it ensures is widespread disillusionment in our aims to deliver rights and self-determination. We can't let sadists and sociopaths represent our nature.
Thank you.
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