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lurkittyThree men are dead today. Two Saudis and one Yemeni committed suicide at Guantanamo Bay, the first after some 41 previous attempts by 25 other prisoners. Men have been held there for five years. They have been tortured both physically and mentally. Only 10 of over 400 detainees have been tried. They have no access to any news and are given no indication at all of when their captivity might end. If they go on a hunger strike, they are strapped in a chair and force fed (in direct violation of international law).
Yet, the US is painting these deaths as a PR stunt. The commander of the camp, Rear Adm. Harry Harris, called the suicides "asymmetrical warfare", a military term usually used to refer to suicide bombers. These men did no violence to anyone other than themselves this day.
To treat these men's deaths as anything other than suicide driven by despair over the wretched circumstance of their detention is nothing less than despicable. To call it an act of war is a blatant attempt to provoke more violence and hatred from their countrymen, and shows that this administration has no investment in peace whatsoever.
Guantanamo needs to be closed, its inmates tried or freed. The Admiral needs to be retired for showing a dreadful lack of judgement and decorum. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush need to be tried as the war criminals they really are. Look up "concentration camp" in the dictionary if you're not sure why.
I have no words sufficient to express my sorrow at what has been done to these men. I do not profess to be a Christian, but I find these words from Jesus say it far better than I could do:
" Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you, and bless those who curse you, and pray for those who compel you to carry burdens. And to him who strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other; and to him who takes away your robe, do not refuse your shirt also. Give to every one who asks you; and from him that takes away what is yours, do not demand it back again.
Just as you want men to do to you, do to them likewise. For if you love those who love you, what is your blessing? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good only to those who do good to you, what is your blessing? For sinners also do the same. And if you lend only to him from whom you expect to be paid back, what is your blessing? For sinners also lend to sinners, to be paid back likewise.
But love your enemies and do good to them, and lend and do not cut off any man's hope..." Luke 6:27-35
thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
docjeff for pointing out what the Admiral said ;-)
Yet, the US is painting these deaths as a PR stunt. The commander of the camp, Rear Adm. Harry Harris, called the suicides "asymmetrical warfare", a military term usually used to refer to suicide bombers. These men did no violence to anyone other than themselves this day.
To treat these men's deaths as anything other than suicide driven by despair over the wretched circumstance of their detention is nothing less than despicable. To call it an act of war is a blatant attempt to provoke more violence and hatred from their countrymen, and shows that this administration has no investment in peace whatsoever.
Guantanamo needs to be closed, its inmates tried or freed. The Admiral needs to be retired for showing a dreadful lack of judgement and decorum. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush need to be tried as the war criminals they really are. Look up "concentration camp" in the dictionary if you're not sure why.
I have no words sufficient to express my sorrow at what has been done to these men. I do not profess to be a Christian, but I find these words from Jesus say it far better than I could do:
" Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you, and bless those who curse you, and pray for those who compel you to carry burdens. And to him who strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other; and to him who takes away your robe, do not refuse your shirt also. Give to every one who asks you; and from him that takes away what is yours, do not demand it back again.
Just as you want men to do to you, do to them likewise. For if you love those who love you, what is your blessing? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good only to those who do good to you, what is your blessing? For sinners also do the same. And if you lend only to him from whom you expect to be paid back, what is your blessing? For sinners also lend to sinners, to be paid back likewise.
But love your enemies and do good to them, and lend and do not cut off any man's hope..." Luke 6:27-35
thanks to
docjeff for pointing out what the Admiral said ;-)
