Why can’t the SCOAMF just order a drone strike on Gitmo? Sure, a lot of guards would die, but collateral damage is perfectly OK, so long as nobody is tortured before being killed. Torture = the whole world hates us, the chickens will come home to roost. Drone strikes taking out a wedding and an elementary school in order to kill an overseas American suspected of terrorist activities without the benefit of a trial = a new era of statesmanship and world respect. So simple.
I don’t understand why we don’t just follow the Geneva Conventions (or maybe it was the Geneva Accords) about the folks at Gitmo. One of the Geneva treaties (there’s like 6, which is why I’m a bit fuzzy on the official name) specifies how lawful combatants are to be treated, civilians, etc. It defines what one has to do to be considered a lawful combatant: wear a uniform distinct from the enemy AND local civilians, do not attempt to conceal yourself amongst the local civilians, etc.
Basically, if you’re caught under arms in local civilian dress (which is what the detainees at gitmo are), you’re considered an unlawful combatant. The treaty specifies that unlawful combatants (which also includes “spies”, or military personnel in a combat zone captured in civilian dress even if unarmed) are to be summarily executed. No trial, judge, etc., just the soldier in the field kills them upon capture.
The people who are turning them loose are the one’s who should end up “feet first.”
Why can’t the SCOAMF just order a drone strike on Gitmo? Sure, a lot of guards would die, but collateral damage is perfectly OK, so long as nobody is tortured before being killed. Torture = the whole world hates us, the chickens will come home to roost. Drone strikes taking out a wedding and an elementary school in order to kill an overseas American suspected of terrorist activities without the benefit of a trial = a new era of statesmanship and world respect. So simple.
We need new rules of encagement.
I don’t understand why we don’t just follow the Geneva Conventions (or maybe it was the Geneva Accords) about the folks at Gitmo. One of the Geneva treaties (there’s like 6, which is why I’m a bit fuzzy on the official name) specifies how lawful combatants are to be treated, civilians, etc. It defines what one has to do to be considered a lawful combatant: wear a uniform distinct from the enemy AND local civilians, do not attempt to conceal yourself amongst the local civilians, etc.
Basically, if you’re caught under arms in local civilian dress (which is what the detainees at gitmo are), you’re considered an unlawful combatant. The treaty specifies that unlawful combatants (which also includes “spies”, or military personnel in a combat zone captured in civilian dress even if unarmed) are to be summarily executed. No trial, judge, etc., just the soldier in the field kills them upon capture.