t r u t h o u t || Minimum Standards

Minimum Standards

By WilliamPitt

Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 10:16:23 AM EDT :: Human Rights

The Bush administration, under duress, has finally decided that the minimum standards of the Geneva Conventions are worth paying attention to. They did not do this because it is right, because it is moral, or because they know that doing so affords a small margin of security to troops in the field. They did so because their hand was forced, and there is no guarantee that their words on the matter will be followed up by actual deeds. We have all, it seems, come to accept minimum standards these days. Please read my essay on this matter and let me know what you think.

Minimum Standards

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Are our efforts futile?

The real reason for the denial of protections, though, was the Cheney-born insistence that the powers of the executive are plenary and not to be restricted in any way. Holding people indefinitely without trial while subjecting them to torture, therefore, was a marvelous way to establish the precedent of limitless power.

When I read this and thought of those being held in the pigsty of Guantanamo Bay, the horror of such futility gave me chills.

Gitmo is horror enough, but now add to it the real possiblity of a future where all dissent is dealt with by imprisonment and torture...I found myself wondering if I were Will Pitt, would I be checking over my shoulder on a regular basis?

All the checks and balances haven't yet found a way to really reign in Cheney and his fascist gang's sucessful effort to circumvent the Constitution. I have little hope that the Executive Branch that has gone so far to flout the rule of law will develop any respect for it now. How will this be resolved? Cheney/Bush may think good PR will put us back to sleep, and I'm sure that Congress will be happy enough with that solution. But what do we, the people, do that's not just another exercise in futility?

"Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired." Robert Kennedy
by Rocking Chair on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 10:49:13 AM EDT

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Minimum Standards

No matter how over the top the Executive Branch may be right now, no one who violates a convention on the law of war can claim protection under that convention. Your description of GTMO is also not completely accurate.

by whr on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 11:21:19 AM EDT
[ Parent ]

: ------------------------------------------------------------

Clarification please.

no one who violates a convention on the law of war can claim protection under that convention. Do you mean this just as a matter of natural reciprocity or are you saying that that's part of the Geneva Convention itself?
I thought that anyone in violation of the Geneva Convention was liable for persecution for War Crimes, and that that was the protection of the Convention.
I couldn't agree more that by virtue of the human inclination for reciprocity, just as Will Pitt says here, the US has crossed the threshold and US enemies might feel well justified in using torture against Americans.
As for Gitmo...would you want to be put in there? Nothing I've heard about it makes me think that people there are being treated humanely.
"Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired." Robert Kennedy
by Rocking Chair on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 12:12:47 PM EDT
[ Parent ]
: ------------------------------------------------------------

You've Been There, Then?

It's been many years but, even with air-conditioning, walk around privileges, access to the swimming pools, Clubs and PX's, Guantánamo Bay Naval Station was not a Club Med. Far from it!
Given the circumstances of those "prisoners," I doubt it has improved much, and not at all for them.
The Guard Details might call it "good duty?" Don't piss on my leg and tell me it is raining, soldier!
What was your unit when you were there?

by sirius99 (Aiman) on Thu Jul 13th, 2006 at 01:02:57 AM EDT
[ Parent ]

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Apparently

there are very few of us that are awake. I think the administration is banking on the fact that there isn't a huge number of actual dissenters to their agenda's.
I think it's easy to slip into the mindset that we on T.O., and other sites with the same basic political leanings represent the mainstream. Sadly, we are not. There are a lot more people out there that are oblivious, or don't care, or can't be bothered to get involved so all the administration needs to do is continue to tell them that the noise they heard in the night was just a Raccoon in the garbage can - no need to worry just move along, nothing to see here. Sad.

by Angelgabriel on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 08:00:59 PM EDT
[ Parent ]

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money real reason: flows to connected corporatists

Follow the money see how it helps the powered(Politically connected)copy and paste to browser (http://www.narconews.com/narcodollars1.html ) look deeper for these restraints serve purpose as instruments to cover their ass and stop the truth from coming to the fore. This is an indictment of power by a participant in the highest reaches of our political system. Again look deep ask why so draconian a rule and FOLLOW THE MONEY.

by truthiness on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 03:08:44 PM EDT

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Weasel Words ?

It's all about careful wording - the administration is allowing that the Geneva rules apply to "military" detainees such as at Gitmo, but how about "other" detainees at "other" locations - business as usual I suspect.

by RLH on Wed Jul 12th, 2006 at 05:12:03 PM EDT

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You Are Correct, Will, There Is A Gulf

between the Word and the Deed.

And, the bush Administration is famous for the size and depth of this Gulf.

I don't expect much to change.

The stuff is in the fan, and no one is gong to get it out until they turn off the fan and clean it.

by sirius99 (Aiman) on Thu Jul 13th, 2006 at 01:08:45 AM EDT

: ------------------------------------------------------------

Exactly.

Which seems to me to mean each person getting off their rocking chair and doing something. Otherwise the complaints are just moot heckling of a distant side show that uses relativities to make presently shrinking comforts seem more comfortable.

by xog on Thu Jul 13th, 2006 at 11:04:39 AM EDT
[ Parent ]

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Minimum Standards

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