Tuesday, June 27, 2006

US betrayal - who is the terrorist?

Staying true to their tradition of indefinite detention without trial, Howard crony and Foreign Affairs minister Alexander "Mummy's Boy" Downer announced that the government supports the UK’s decision not to plea for the freedom of Guantanamo Bay hostage David Hicks.

Although the UK have now granted Hicks citizenship, they say that there are no plans to plea with the US for his repatriation to the UK, as has been obtained for all other British citizens held in the American outpost in Cuba, known for its cruelty, its mortality rate and its undisciplined staff.

Guantanamo Bay is in a no man’s land, and the so-called prisoners therein have been allowed none of the rights due to prisoners of war or crime, as they have not been properly defined as either.

The US has labelled the hostages in the Guantanamo Bay facility detainees. A non-committal term neither relating to war or acts of crime. The Geneva Convention means nothing to the US, nor does the International War Crimes Tribunal, and nor, for that matter, do the hard won laws and constitutional rights upheld by the US judicial system.

Many claim that the incompetence the US has so far in bringing charges against detainees is because they acted too quickly, rounding up everyone they could, proof of ill will or not. Hick’s was initially captured by a Warlord of the Northern Alliance who many say was simply trying to curry favour with the coalition forces.

The US has switched allegiances so many times in this region that the Northern Alliance obviously felt a need to win as many points as they could. Their previous encounter with US forces in the 90s was on the other side, fighting alongside Soviet forces. That conflict resulted in the US assisting the Taliban into power. It really doesn’t seem too long ago.

How can anyone trust the US?

Saddam Hussein must also be reeling after his association with previous US administrations amounted to nothing in the 90s, when the US suddenly decided to take notice of the Kurdish situation when it seemed likely to blow out and affect Oil.

And what about poor old CIA trained Osama bin Laden? Not only did he receive arms and training from Bush senior’s gang, he was also a business associate and family friend to the Bushs.

Talk about betrayal and dishonesty.


Nobody is saying that Hicks or any of the others are guilt free, but justice has to be served to be real. If there is a case against them, bring them to trial. If not, send them home.

2 comments:

oz said...

Just recently, a friend of mine applied for a passport. If you read the print regarding giving up your Australian citizenship, it clearly states that one way to do so is to serve in another nation's armed forces at war with Australia.

I wonder if al-Qa'ida (never gotten the spelling right) would count for David Hicks?

Jimmy said...

I heard that it was actually stated in that document that it was a conflict of interest to fight in ANY armed forces at a time of war not representing Australia.

I wonder if "Australian" Jews fighting in the IDF should be stripped of their Australian Citizenship.