New British Glory
26-12-2004, 17:26
After World War Two began the widespread trials of Nazis from the highest politicans to the lowest lieutenants. Those being tried from the military were often accused of breaking the Geneva Convention which was quite true. As was shown by the film The Great Escape the Nazis often executed POWs who had surrendered. For this crime, many Nazi officers were put to death - whether or not that is right is another discussion for another time.
But today in America, the rules of the international law are blatantly defied by the monstrosity that is Guantanmo Bay. Here Bush has sunk to new levels of depravitiy and by that measure taken the entire USA with him. He has invented a new status of war criminal to fit his unscrupulous ends. The men in Guantanmo Bay are treated like animals, forced to crawl on all fours like dogs in their orange jumpsuits. They are tortured by sensory deprivation and other more conventional means in order to beat out confessions. In doing this America has pushed itself to the level of the lowest dictatorship. These men are denied a trial, they are even denied lawyers. Instead they suffer voicelessly for crimes that have not even been proven. There is no hope for escape, no hope for an end. The US has denied them not only international law but its own laws for in the Constitution it states that no man may be imprisoned without a trial. The prisoners of Guantanmo have not been proven guilty nor have they been proven innocent but still they suffer. All of this, Bush says, in the name of necessity. As Pitt the Younger once said:
Necessity was the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It was the argument of tyrants: the creed of slaves.
And so the Land of the Free has lost its freedom to the call of necessity. How long will it be for George Bush decides that all those critising his government are aiding and abetting terrorists and therefore should be locked up in the name of necessity? What harm would a trial do? If these men are guilty of terrorism then so be it: then lock them away and throw away the key. And if they are not guilty then surely the FBI could keep track of these men with sure and simple ease. Oh yes that could cost more than to keep them in their cells but when since has human liberty been measured in pounds and pence?
But what of the charges levelled at these prisoners? Terrorism, says the White House but many were probably serving the Taliban. Was the Taliban itself a terrorist organisation? It may have condoned terrorist camps and terrorist action but it was still a foreign government and those who served it believed they were only doing their duty. They are not guilty of terrorism: they are guilty of fighting for the wrong side which is no crime.
Many of the prisoners are not even from Arabic nations. What of those possessing British or French passports? Surely its for Britain to try them under British laws. Despite the 'special' relationship between these two nations, America cannot return the support Britain gave. Britain asks for the return of its citizens to face British justice. It asks that international law and international treaties be honoured by the USA. But each request is met by the same blank stare of the Bush administration. While British soldiers bleed on the deserts of Iraq in an American war, the British government is still denied the most basic of requests. In Britain, the people want their fellow citizens to face their laws and their customs - the laws of liberty and the customs of justice. British citizens are guarnteed a trial under English law - America would have break these promises and render them hollow.
For violating international law, Nazi officers were shot. For violating international law, the Americans are said to be the champions of liberty. Holding POWs without trial is contary to the laws of liberty. America has placed its liberty on the alter of necessity.
But today in America, the rules of the international law are blatantly defied by the monstrosity that is Guantanmo Bay. Here Bush has sunk to new levels of depravitiy and by that measure taken the entire USA with him. He has invented a new status of war criminal to fit his unscrupulous ends. The men in Guantanmo Bay are treated like animals, forced to crawl on all fours like dogs in their orange jumpsuits. They are tortured by sensory deprivation and other more conventional means in order to beat out confessions. In doing this America has pushed itself to the level of the lowest dictatorship. These men are denied a trial, they are even denied lawyers. Instead they suffer voicelessly for crimes that have not even been proven. There is no hope for escape, no hope for an end. The US has denied them not only international law but its own laws for in the Constitution it states that no man may be imprisoned without a trial. The prisoners of Guantanmo have not been proven guilty nor have they been proven innocent but still they suffer. All of this, Bush says, in the name of necessity. As Pitt the Younger once said:
Necessity was the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It was the argument of tyrants: the creed of slaves.
And so the Land of the Free has lost its freedom to the call of necessity. How long will it be for George Bush decides that all those critising his government are aiding and abetting terrorists and therefore should be locked up in the name of necessity? What harm would a trial do? If these men are guilty of terrorism then so be it: then lock them away and throw away the key. And if they are not guilty then surely the FBI could keep track of these men with sure and simple ease. Oh yes that could cost more than to keep them in their cells but when since has human liberty been measured in pounds and pence?
But what of the charges levelled at these prisoners? Terrorism, says the White House but many were probably serving the Taliban. Was the Taliban itself a terrorist organisation? It may have condoned terrorist camps and terrorist action but it was still a foreign government and those who served it believed they were only doing their duty. They are not guilty of terrorism: they are guilty of fighting for the wrong side which is no crime.
Many of the prisoners are not even from Arabic nations. What of those possessing British or French passports? Surely its for Britain to try them under British laws. Despite the 'special' relationship between these two nations, America cannot return the support Britain gave. Britain asks for the return of its citizens to face British justice. It asks that international law and international treaties be honoured by the USA. But each request is met by the same blank stare of the Bush administration. While British soldiers bleed on the deserts of Iraq in an American war, the British government is still denied the most basic of requests. In Britain, the people want their fellow citizens to face their laws and their customs - the laws of liberty and the customs of justice. British citizens are guarnteed a trial under English law - America would have break these promises and render them hollow.
For violating international law, Nazi officers were shot. For violating international law, the Americans are said to be the champions of liberty. Holding POWs without trial is contary to the laws of liberty. America has placed its liberty on the alter of necessity.