NYT Editorial About How W can “Come to Jesus”
I have this little fantasy about GWB. In it he has been asked a large number of little questions over the course of his “war of terror”(Great, now I’m quoting Borat). Each question alone is a minor concession. But when you look at the aggregate of these decisions, the results are not America. In my fantasy, W comes to Jesus on these things and puts it all right by undoing them, repudiating them and helps write laws that make it impossible to make the same mistakes again. Here is the list. The NYT article fleshes out the list, but I’m lazier than the writer.
- Restore Habeas Corpus
- Stop Illegal Spying
- Ban Torture, Really
- Close the C.I.A. Prisons
- Account for ‘Ghost Prisoners’
- Ban Extraordinary Rendition
- Tighten the Definition of Combatant
- Screen Prisoners Fairly and Effectively
- Ban Tainted Evidence
- Ban Secret Evidence
- Better Define ‘Classified’ Evidence
- Respect the Right to Counsel
- Close Guantánamo
Please, George, come bathe in the waters of Democracy. It will free your soul.
My fantasy is to find a DEMOCRATIC candidate who will run on that platform.
Of course, anyone who advocates shutting down the gulag must be prepared to be called “pro-terrorist.”
Just don’t call me late for dinner.
Why do you hate America so, liberalgeek? If we ban tainted evidence the the terrorists win. Have you learned nothing?
I can only parrot what they taught me at the madrassas. I do actually hate myself more everytime I watch Faux News.
You’re right, of course; our troops should be encouraged instead to summarily execute any non-uniformed combatants they capture. See, that’s what you’re allowed to do under the Geneva Convention. According to article 4, POW status is conferred on members of actual armed forces, but also:
2. Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, including those of organized resistance movements, belonging to a Party to the conflict and operating in or outside their own territory, even if this territory is occupied, provided that such militias or volunteer corps, including such organized resistance movements, fulfill the following conditions:
(a) That of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;
(b) That of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;
(c) That of carrying arms openly;
(d) That of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.
So there you have it – letter “D” in particular – the reasons why rendition, habeas corpus, etc., are moot. Also we don’t have to refine the definition of combatant, it’s all right there for you. Hide grenades in a mosque? Bullet in the head. Smuggle guns in an ambulance? Bullet in the head. Dress your death squad in police uniforms? Bullet in the head.
No, I’m not advocating summary executions, just pointing out that we could if we wanted to, but we don’t. We treat them better than they deserve, or to which they are legally entitled.
Darned unsporting of Haji to not stand up and fight like a man with uniforms,insignia and morning reveille.
Of course if we had NOT invaded Haji’s country illegally in the first place these subsequent violations of the Geneva Convention would never have happened.