There was an interesting exchange at the White House press briefing today between the always-evasive Ari Fleischer (Bush’s press secretary) and Helen Thomas (elder reporter known for her occasionally strange questions).
Thomas asked Fleischer if the U.S. was obeying the Geneva Prisoner of War conventions in Iraq (which the U.S. claims Iraq is not doing). Fleischer answered that we were. Thomas then asked, “And also in Guantanamo?” Fleischer hedged — “Our prisoners are treated humanely.” Thomas: “Are we following the Geneva accords in Guantanamo?” Again, Fleischer hedged, saying only that they’re being treated humanely.
As far as White House press briefings go, the press secretary usually hedges like this when he doesn’t want to answer a question because he knows the answer is not good PR. In other words, he may believe that the U.S. is not following the Geneva accords.
Disclaimer: no transcript has been published, so this exchange is reported from memory.
And I’d like to know whose standards they use when they say that the prisoners are “treated humanely”. Is taking away one’s freedom being humane? I’m not saying that we should let every criminal go free, but are soldiers to be considered as such only because they’re following orders?
Most probably under threat of death, to them and to their families, if I may add.
I, for one, would like to see Bush personally join this stupidity he has started. It’s so convenient to be able to use pawns to wage wars and to protect the king, who’s cowering behind his bishops, and knights, and rooks, and most especially behind his queen…
I recently heard or read somewhere that the United States
was thrown of the Geneva Human Rights Council or
organization. Forgive me for C.R.S however we also refused
going to China for a global environmental summit. Once about
a decade ago I was in the Navy, general discharge ( their
problems not mine ). I recall being put on stand by over
stuff in S. Korea. We were told simply “Don’t sleep to
soundly tonight, we may roll out at any time.” Deserters as
part of our general watch were to be shot, it was our
‘duty’. This may have changed but it certainly proves the
drackonian nature of the beast. Personal point of view here
only.
Signature: Ben Badgley mk9dog
URL: http://mk9dog.blogspot.com