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November 11, 2004
Fight Evil with...Evil?
This morning's rant began as radio-induced rage on my way in to work. You see radio personality Bill O'Reilly was ranting at the way liberals in general and the Los Angeles Times in specific are attacking the appointment of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General.
Well, I only caught one of the reasons the LA Times is attacking him before Bill's absurdity caused me to switch from radio to the CD of The Incredibles soundtrack sitting in my CD player.
Apparently Mr. Gonzales holds a "hard line" against terrorism. So far that sounds fabulous. However, apparently this "hard line" includes statements that suspected terrorists arrested in Afghanistan are not subject to the protections provided in the Geneva Convention.
On the air, Mr. O'Reilly quoted the LA Times piece Gonzales is a Disastrous Choics:
Gonzales wrote a memo in early 2002 arguing that suspected terrorists captured in Afghanistan were not subject to protections under the Geneva Convention. He called the convention's particulars "quaint,"
(source: LA Times, no URL, registration required).
Bill O'Reilly said that someone wearing civillian clothes is not deserving of the special treatment provided for enemy soldiers in combat situations. Well, Mr. O'Reilly, you are entitled to your opinion. However, here's mine:
As I have explained previously I believe that the terrorists we face are truly Evil. I believe that we are doing the right thing arresting these terrorists and dismantling the terror network. However, before we deny these people the protections of the Geneva Convention... let's ask: what exactly are those protections?
I haven't read the full text of the convention, but here is a quote from Article III, Section 1. This is the key point of the Geneva Convention (ethical treatment of prisoners of war).
(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.
To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
(a) violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
(b) taking of hostages;
(c) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(d) the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
(2) The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.
(source: Jewish Virtual Library).
So, all the Geneva Convention would grant is essentially freedom from torture, access to medical treatment, and the right to a trial.
Now, the Geneva Convention may, in a strictly legal sense, not apply to suspected terrorists. However, it really ought not be a treaty that restrains us from torturing people. It should not be a treaty that forces us to treat the wounded. It should definitely not be a mere piece of paper that requires that the accused are given a fair and public trial, regardless of what horrors they are accused of.
It should be the moral principles upon which this country was founded and continues to operate that require of us all these things. If it is only our contractual obligations that prevent us from torturing the accused, how, precisely, are we any less Evil than those we fight.
Some people like to Fight Fire with Fire. 9 out of 10 firefighters agree, Water works better than Fire at fighting Fire. Apparently some people, including the new head of the justice department, want to Fight Evil with Evil. I think that's despicable.
— The Shelanman
Posted by andrew at November 11, 2004 10:03 AM
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