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"Indefinite Detainees," and "Forever Prison," are misnomers. Meanings of words matter when dealing with sensitive legal issues, like those surrounding the US military detention facility (not a "prison") at the US Navy Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. As the former ranking US Army Medical Department officer with the Joint Detainee Operations Group (JDOG), Joint Task Force 160 (JTF 160), and a member of the 455th Military Police Detachment (Brigade Liaison Detachment), 800th Military Police (Enemy Prisoner of War) Brigade, who served at Gitmo from February to June, 2002, I can tell you a real story about the place and it's real mission.
Far from finding fault in the mission, most Americans can be proud of the operation there. Detainees are treated with dignity and respect, and enjoy FREE Qurans, prayer rugs and beads, directions to Mecca, halal and special Muslim holiday meals, services of US military Muslim chaplains, white robes, beards, world class health, dental and vision care, recreation, library, TV, DVD, video games, sports and more.
All this and not ONE of the 731 released detainees has been executed, beheaded, blown up, hacked to death, dragged naked and lifeless through the streets, drowned or burned alive; all things our enemies have done to us and/or our allies.
Gitmo is not a perfect place, but, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) physicians I worked with there and later in Iraq, "No one does [detention operations] better than the US." Gitmo is not "indefinite" or "forever." Not anymore than when we held over 400,000 mostly German lawful combatant POW's in the US during WWII. POW's were not "punished" unless found guilty by military commission of committing war crimes. Similarly, detainees are not in a corrections or penal status (unless prosecuted and found guilty).
According to the Geneva Conventions and the Law of War, even lawful combatants can be held without charge or trial, "until hostilities end."
When all Islamists are dead or no longer have the means or will to kill us, I suppose then we could discuss the end of hostilities in the Global War on Terror. But like an aggressive cancer, the enemy keeps mutating and metastasizing. We don't call this "indefinite" or "forever," we call this undetermined or say "until hostilities end," like the law pronounces.
Gitmo is a small piece to a big puzzle of how we win the Global War on Terror. It is the best, safest and most secure place to keep unlawful combatant Islamists who want to kill us.
Far from finding fault in the mission, most Americans can be proud of the operation there. Detainees are treated with dignity and respect, and enjoy FREE Qurans, prayer rugs and beads, directions to Mecca, halal and special Muslim holiday meals, services of US military Muslim chaplains, white robes, beards, world class health, dental and vision care, recreation, library, TV, DVD, video games, sports and more.
All this and not ONE of the 731 released detainees has been executed, beheaded, blown up, hacked to death, dragged naked and lifeless through the streets, drowned or burned alive; all things our enemies have done to us and/or our allies.
Gitmo is not a perfect place, but, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) physicians I worked with there and later in Iraq, "No one does [detention operations] better than the US." Gitmo is not "indefinite" or "forever." Not anymore than when we held over 400,000 mostly German lawful combatant POW's in the US during WWII. POW's were not "punished" unless found guilty by military commission of committing war crimes. Similarly, detainees are not in a corrections or penal status (unless prosecuted and found guilty).
According to the Geneva Conventions and the Law of War, even lawful combatants can be held without charge or trial, "until hostilities end."
When all Islamists are dead or no longer have the means or will to kill us, I suppose then we could discuss the end of hostilities in the Global War on Terror. But like an aggressive cancer, the enemy keeps mutating and metastasizing. We don't call this "indefinite" or "forever," we call this undetermined or say "until hostilities end," like the law pronounces.
Gitmo is a small piece to a big puzzle of how we win the Global War on Terror. It is the best, safest and most secure place to keep unlawful combatant Islamists who want to kill us.
Gitmo's past and future
Posted from wlrn.org
Guantanamo Bay
War on Terror
Law
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 7
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"When all Islamists are dead or no longer have the means or will to kill us, I suppose then we could discuss the end of hostilities"
As long as we get rid of the Christian Dominionists at the same time... You know, the ones that consider this a "holy crusade" instead of to protect our nation and people, which include many Muslims and non-Christians.
As long as we get rid of the Christian Dominionists at the same time... You know, the ones that consider this a "holy crusade" instead of to protect our nation and people, which include many Muslims and non-Christians.
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
Yes, I wrote a piece a while back on calling in a Fifth Crusade, but didn't mention it this time. I still like the idea.
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Capt Gregory Prickett
MAJ Montgomery Granger - actually sheepdogs do not do both. A guardian sheepdog lives with the flock, protects it, and would lay down his life for the flock. A herding sheepdog moves the flock where the shepherd wants the flock to be. The flock trusts the guardian and fears the herder. Most people who call themselves sheepdogs are herders, not guardians.
A Dominionist is as evil as an Islamist, it's just the Christian version. A Dominionist wants the government of the United States to be guided by the Old Testament laws of the Bible, just as an Islamist wants to impose the law of the Qur'an. Both have no problem with executing homosexuals, apostates, and atheists, because that's what Yahweh/Allah want. Both want to impose their version of sharia law on the populace. Both call for holy war, jihad on the part of the Islamist, a crusade on the part of a Dominionist.
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Dominionism
A Dominionist is as evil as an Islamist, it's just the Christian version. A Dominionist wants the government of the United States to be guided by the Old Testament laws of the Bible, just as an Islamist wants to impose the law of the Qur'an. Both have no problem with executing homosexuals, apostates, and atheists, because that's what Yahweh/Allah want. Both want to impose their version of sharia law on the populace. Both call for holy war, jihad on the part of the Islamist, a crusade on the part of a Dominionist.
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Dominionism
Dominionism or Christian sharia ("Charia") (and sometimes used interchangeably with Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy, see below) is the desire to bring "order" to the Alpha Quadrant an ideology of Totalitarian theocracy. It holds that Christians should not withdraw from the earthly world to avoid becoming corrupted by involvement in earthly politics and patiently await the second coming of Christ, as old-school Christian...
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
I did not call myself a sheepdog. Australian sheepdogs definitely do both. I have been herded and protected by same. Capt, in all sincerity, there are no Dominionists flying loaded airplanes into our buildings. There are no Dominionist active shooters. There are no Dominionists praying five times per day in the middle of airports and streets, nor invading through migration into Christian, Jewish and otherwise peace-loving communities in order to install Theocracy. Read much? Get out much, Sir? PS - Thanks for the definition.
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Capt Gregory Prickett
MAJ Montgomery Granger - There actually have been Dominionists who have committed acts of terror. They have killed, bombed, burned down, and kidnapped their opponents over the last 40 years or so. While they don't pray a set times during the day, they do pray, repeatedly and often.
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MAJ Montgomery Granger I appreciate the unique insight into the conditions at Gitmo. I am curious as to why things don't always seem as rosy in the other pictures and stories.
Another point I'd consider relooking is the idea that we have to kill all "Islamists." Islamists aren't really the problem. The problem is Islamic extremists - the same way that Christian extremists are a problem - and not just Christians.
Another point I'd consider relooking is the idea that we have to kill all "Islamists." Islamists aren't really the problem. The problem is Islamic extremists - the same way that Christian extremists are a problem - and not just Christians.
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MAJ Bryan Zeski
Islamism is not a form of the Muslim faith or an expression of Muslim piety; it is, rather, a political ideology that strives to derive legitimacy from Islam.
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
I disagree. The Muslim faith is based on theocracy, that their religion is also their government. That is diametrically opposed to democracy, freedom and liberty. Constitutionally, our government may NOT sponsor nor dictate a religion. In all Islamic republics the religious leaders are also the highest government authority.
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MAJ Bryan Zeski
MAJ Montgomery Granger - Even if we grant that some Muslims feel that way, it doesn't make every Muslim an enemy of democracy, freedom and liberty. Most Christians would say that their duty to their God outweighs theirs duty to their country as well.
And if we're talking about governmental systems, as oppose to Muslim individuals, then are we advocating that the United States get into the business of overthrowing all Islamic countries? No, of course not.
And if we're talking about governmental systems, as oppose to Muslim individuals, then are we advocating that the United States get into the business of overthrowing all Islamic countries? No, of course not.
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Capt Gregory Prickett
MAJ Bryan Zeski - Monty has demonstrated his antipathy for Muslims over and over, and has on at least one occasion stated that this was a "holy crusade" against the Muslims.
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Thank you for the interesting article share sir, have a great afternoon sir
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