Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 11:47:49 -0700 (MST)
From: snail 
Subject: [azsecularhumanists] prisoner photos cause stir
To: azsecularhumanists@yahoogroups.com, atheist_libertarians@onelist.com
Reply-To: azsecularhumanists@yahoogroups.com





i wonder if and when american newspapers
will be printing these photos which have
been angering civil rights activists in
england about what appears to be inhumane
treatment of afghanistan prisoners of
war which the americans are flying from
afghanistan to the american guantanamo 
bay military base located in cuba

the arizona republic didnt print any
of the photos in its article.

the us government says these people are 
not prisoners of war and thus do not have 
the legal rights of prisoners
of war under geneva conventions. 

the us government says these folks are
criminals - "unlawfull combatants". in that
case i hope the us government gives them
all the protection the us constition and
bill of rights gives accused criminals 
in america.  but i suspect our government 
will treat the prisoners with the same 
respect and dignity the israel government 
gives to arab prisoners.

i have copied a few lines from the following
article which was in the arizona republic



"cuba prisoner photos cause stir"

arizona republic
monday, january 21, 2002
associated press

london - photos published sunday 
showing al-qaida and taliban suspects
on their knees and wearing blacked-out 
goggles contributed to the mounting 
concerns in britain about treatment 
of the prisoners held by the
united states in cuba.

<snip>

marines in yellow rubber gloves led 
the prisooners, who were handcuffed 
and shackled at the ankles, from a 
cargo plane to a waiting school bus.

u.s. treatment of al-qaida and taliban 
suspects imprisoned at guantanamo bay 
has posed a serious foreign policy 
challenge for prime minister tony blair 
since he put britain alongside washington 
in the ware against terrorism.

the photos, released by the u.s. defense 
department before the arrival of the 
latest detainees, showed the men with masks 
over their mouths and noses, hats, and 
mittens on their hands.

<snip>

u.s. military spokesman robert nelson, 
at guantanamo bay on sunday, said the 
pictures were taken shortly after the 
prisoners arrived from the 8,000 mile 
flight from afghanistan on a c-141 
cargo plane.

"it gets pretty cold on a c-141, hence 
the hat and mittens, for comfort," nelson 
said. the taped-over goggles were a 
security measure to prevent prisoners 
seeing during the processing procedure
and medical screening after arrival, 
he added.

<snip>

the mail on sunday had put one of 
the photos on page one under the 
headline "tortured," and wrote
"first pictures show use of 
sensory deprivation to soften 
suspects for interrogation."

human right groups and some 
british politicians have criticized 
treatment of the prisoners.

<snip>

the new prisoners wore blacked-out 
goggles, as well as bright orange 
jumpsuits, blue denim jackets,
knit caps and turquoise surgical 
masks. the goggles were blacked out 
for security reasons.

the u.s. government calls the prisoners 
"unlawful combatants" or "detainees" rather 
than prisoners of war with the assigned 
legal right under the geneva conventions, 
but insists they are being treated humanely.

<snip>

--
"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; 
when the government fears the people, there is liberty "
                             Thomas Jefferson

Community email addresses:
  Post message: azsecularhumanists@onelist.com
  Subscribe:    azsecularhumanists-subscribe@onelist.com
  Unsubscribe:  azsecularhumanists-unsubscribe@onelist.com
  List owner:   azsecularhumanists-owner@onelist.com

Shortcut URL to this page:
  http://www.onelist.com/community/azsecularhumanists 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/