Comments on: No Justice Forever: America’s New Foreign Policy of Indefinite Detention http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=justice-forever-americas-foreign Intrepid New Journalism Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:20:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dizzy http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/comment-page-1/#comment-2148 Dizzy Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:18:05 +0000 http://pubrecord.org/?p=6985#comment-2148 Right on Ian, Wingard and Kandari are all over the place saying what you just said. Right on Ian, Wingard and Kandari are all over the place saying what you just said.

]]> By: Ian C.Cree,MB(Hons.),MS,FRCS(Eng.& C.),FACS,LRCP. http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/comment-page-1/#comment-2147 Ian C.Cree,MB(Hons.),MS,FRCS(Eng.& C.),FACS,LRCP. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:55:44 +0000 http://pubrecord.org/?p=6985#comment-2147 The idea of indefinite detention without accusation or trial and the torture of prisoners was originated by Dick Cheney and George Bush. Both knew that these acts were highly illegal and defied US law and the Constitution. Guantanamo Bay was chosen as a ruse, since it was not on US soil, and Bush labelled the prisoners "enemy combatants" and not just enemies, believing, or pretending to believe, that this would circumvent the Constitution, US law, and the Geneva Conventions. He proclaimed these beliefs publicly just before Guantanamo Bay prison was opened. There was no challenge to this, since the American people were still in a state of shock and awe after the attacks of 9/11. Only after many years were these beliefs declared false and illegal in Federal Court, and the right of prisoners to the writ of Habeas Corpus and their day in Court was acknowledged. Some prisoners were tried, found guilty, and remained in prison, while others were declared not guilty and released. However, these practices had already extended to other prisons around the world and many prisoners were secretly transferred and brutally tortured in the program coded "extraordinary rendition". It soon became apparent, when large numbers of prisoners were released, without ever having been accused of any crime, that many innocent men had languished in jail for up to 7 years or more. They had been denied the right to defend themselves, to have the advice of lawyers, to see their families, or be visited by the Red Cross. These conditions of abuse became the norm and still continue today, all shrouded in a cloak of secrecy. Many of the prisoners had been arrested and imprisoned on the flimsiest of excuses: Some had been seen in a group of people, one of whom was THOUGHT to be a terrorist. Some had been accused of being members of Al Qeda by their enemies or competitors. Some were brought in by Bounty Hunters for profit in a military program. Others were picked up on the battlefield when US troops invaded Afghanistan and the Taliban were governing the country. Tragically this appalling state affairs continues with casual unconcern on the part of our government . It is imperative that we all take responsibility for this intolerable state of affairs, and that we lift the roof off the cloak of secrecy. Justice MUST be done and seen to be done. We cannot continue to keep innocent people in prison because they might be terrorists. Every one of us might be a terrorist, and our neighbours could accuse us of that, if we happened to develop a hostile relationship with them! We need to try prisoners in the only Courts which can be trusted to be fair - the Federal Courts. We need to demand a complete list of all living and deceased prisoners of the USA, where they are located, how long they have been in prison, the state of their health, their names and where their relatives are located, the conditions of the prisons where they are being held, and full information about those who have died. They all have a right to contact their relatives, to receive quality medical care, to contact lawyers, to see the Red Cross, and to contact Amnesty International if they so desire. THERE MUST BE NO MORE SECRECY. TORTURE IS NOT A STATE SECRET! ONLY Courts must be allowed to decide what evidence must be kept secret. All else must be open to the public. This is the ONLY way to end injustice and to restore our name among the nations of the world. The idea of indefinite detention without accusation or trial and the torture of prisoners was originated by Dick Cheney and George Bush. Both knew that these acts were highly illegal and defied US law and the Constitution. Guantanamo Bay was chosen as a ruse, since it was not on US soil, and Bush labelled the prisoners “enemy combatants” and not just enemies, believing, or pretending to believe, that this would circumvent the Constitution, US law, and the Geneva Conventions. He proclaimed these beliefs publicly just before Guantanamo Bay prison was opened.
There was no challenge to this, since the American people were still in a state of shock and awe after the attacks of 9/11. Only after many years were these beliefs declared false and illegal in Federal Court, and the right of prisoners to the writ of Habeas Corpus and their day in Court was acknowledged.
Some prisoners were tried, found guilty, and remained in prison, while others were declared not guilty and released. However, these practices had already extended to other prisons around the world and many prisoners were secretly transferred and brutally tortured in the program coded “extraordinary rendition”.
It soon became apparent, when large numbers of prisoners were released, without ever having been accused of any crime, that many innocent men had languished in jail for up to 7 years or more. They had been denied the right to defend themselves, to have the advice of lawyers, to see their families, or be visited by the Red Cross.

These conditions of abuse became the norm and still continue today, all shrouded in a cloak of secrecy.

Many of the prisoners had been arrested and imprisoned on the flimsiest of excuses:
Some had been seen in a group of people, one of whom was THOUGHT to be a terrorist. Some had been accused of being members of Al Qeda by their enemies or competitors. Some were brought in by Bounty Hunters for profit in a military program.
Others were picked up on the battlefield when US troops invaded Afghanistan and the Taliban were governing the country.

Tragically this appalling state affairs continues with casual unconcern on the part of our government .

It is imperative that we all take responsibility for this intolerable state of affairs, and that we lift the roof off the cloak of secrecy. Justice MUST be done and seen to be done. We cannot continue to keep innocent people in prison because they might be terrorists. Every one of us might be a terrorist, and our neighbours could accuse us of that, if we happened to develop a hostile relationship with them!

We need to try prisoners in the only Courts which can be trusted to be fair – the Federal Courts.
We need to demand a complete list of all living and deceased prisoners of the USA, where they are located, how long they have been in prison, the state of their health, their names and where their relatives are located, the conditions of the prisons where they are being held, and full information about those who have died. They all have a right to contact their relatives, to receive quality medical care, to contact lawyers, to see the Red Cross, and to contact Amnesty International if they so desire.

THERE MUST BE NO MORE SECRECY. TORTURE IS NOT A STATE SECRET!

ONLY Courts must be allowed to decide what evidence must be kept secret.
All else must be open to the public. This is the ONLY way to end injustice and to restore our name among the nations of the world.

]]> By: Dizzy http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/comment-page-1/#comment-2122 Dizzy Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:57:14 +0000 http://pubrecord.org/?p=6985#comment-2122 All the Germans post WWII claimed to have no knowlege, there is still time to make a difference. Stop the excuses and get involved. Need a cause? Well here you go, people be denied humanity in your name. All the Germans post WWII claimed to have no knowlege, there is still time to make a difference. Stop the excuses and get involved.

Need a cause? Well here you go, people be denied humanity in your name.

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/comment-page-1/#comment-2115 uberVU - social comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:25:10 +0000 http://pubrecord.org/?p=6985#comment-2115 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by JasonLeopold: Must read column by my good friend Lt. Col Barry Wingard re: indefinite detentions & rule of law: http://bit.ly/binnsF @Tosfm @GottaLaff... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by JasonLeopold: Must read column by my good friend Lt. Col Barry Wingard re: indefinite detentions & rule of law: http://bit.ly/binnsF @Tosfm @GottaLaff…

]]> By: Marcy http://pubrecord.org/commentary/6985/justice-forever-americas-foreign/comment-page-1/#comment-2114 Marcy Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:25:04 +0000 http://pubrecord.org/?p=6985#comment-2114 Pinch me! This can't be the USA Pinch me! This can’t be the USA

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