When Gary's right, he's right (vis a vis Rumsfeld declaring that the Geneva Convention doesn't apply to most of the assholes we have in jail in Iraq).
But Rumsfeld is right too, on the law. The Geneva Conventions do not apply to everyone who picks a fight with us, especially if they violate the rules defined in the conventions. You can argue that we should observe the Geneva Conventions, regardless of whether we are legally bound to do so, but that's different from arguing we're violating them. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gary Denton > Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 12:24 AM > To: Killer Bs Discussion > Subject: Re: Disturbing evidence of torture > > On Fri, 7 May 2004 02:20:34 -0500, Gary Denton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: <but forgot to include the url> > > > Washington Post - > > > > The lawlessness began in January 2002 when Mr. Rumsfeld publicly > > declared that hundreds of people detained by U.S. and > allied forces in > > Afghanistan "do not have any rights" under the Geneva Conventions. > > That was not the case: At a minimum, all those arrested in the war > > zone were entitled under the conventions to a formal hearing to > > determine whether they were prisoners of war or unlawful combatants. > > No such hearings were held, but then Mr. Rumsfeld made > clear that U.S. > > observance of the convention was now optional. Prisoners, he said, > > would be treated "for the most part" in "a manner that is > reasonably > > consistent" with the conventions -- which, the secretary breezily > > suggested, was outdated. > > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5840-2004May5.html >
_______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
