LARK Program- political humor

SacTown Chronic · 02-10-2005, 10:31 AM

Funny stuff

This is all being done in the name of fighting terror. But the best evidence seems to show that many of the people rounded up and dumped without formal charges into Guantánamo had nothing to do with terror. They just happened to be unfortunate enough to get caught in one of Uncle Sam's depressingly indiscriminate sweeps. Which is what happened to Shafiq Rasul, who was released from Guantánamo about a year ago. His story is instructive, and has not been told widely enough.

Mr. Rasul was one of three young men, all friends, from the British town of Tipton who were among thousands of people seized in Afghanistan in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. They had been there, he said, to distribute food and medical supplies to impoverished Afghans.

The three were interviewed soon after their release by Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, which has been in the forefront of efforts to secure legal representation for Guantánamo detainees.

Under extreme duress at Guantánamo, including hundreds of hours of interrogation and long periods of isolation, the three men confessed to having been in a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. They also said they were among a number of men who could be seen in a videotape of Osama bin Laden. The tape had been made in August 2000.

For the better part of two years, Mr. Rasul and his friends, Asif Iqbal and Rhuhel Ahmed, had denied involvement in any terror activity whatsoever. But Mr. Rasul said they eventually succumbed to long months of physical and psychological abuse. Mr. Rasul had been held in isolation for several weeks (his second sustained period of isolation) when an interrogator showed him the video of bin Laden. He said she told him: "I've put detainees here in isolation for 12 months and eventually they've broken. You might as well admit it now."

"I could not bear another day of isolation, let alone the prospect of another year," said Mr. Rasul. He confessed.

The three men, all British citizens, were saved by British intelligence officials, who proved that they had been in England when the video was shot, and during the time they were supposed to have been in Al Qaeda training camps. All three were returned to England, where they were released from custody.

SacTown Chronic · 02-10-2005, 10:36 AM

I wipe my ass with your constitution

In one hearing that led up to Monday's decision, Judge Green attempted to see how broadly the government viewed its power to hold detainees. Administration lawyers told her, in response to a hypothetical question, that they believed the president would even have the right to lock up "a little old lady from Switzerland" for the duration of the war on terror if she had written checks to a charity that she believed helped orphans, but that actually was a front for Al Qaeda.

Fvcking hillarious!

Nephythys · 02-10-2005, 11:41 AM

I was not aware that foreign enemy combatants or suspects had the same Constitutional Rights as us as US citizens....gee, no, they don't.

Scrooge McSam · 02-10-2005, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nephythys

I was not aware that foreign enemy combatants or suspects had the same Constitutional Rights as us as US citizens....gee, no, they don't.

You're absolutely right. They do not have the rights guaranteed to US citizens by the constitution.

They DO have other rights as are outlined in the Geneva Convention, to which the US is a signator.

One of those being freedom from torture. I'll look you up a link to the US involvement in that if you want, but I'm pretty sure you've already seen the stories about that.

They are also guaranteed not to be transferred to another country that uses torture. We've (excuse me, this administration) failed to hold to our agreement in that regard as well.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme..._4/4246089.stm

We'll be hearing a lot more about this in the coming days, I fear.

sleepyjeff · 02-10-2005, 12:17 PM

LOL Nephy. It was funny and I only wish the 1st and 2nd amendment rights of US citizens were defended as zealously as the so called international rights of people who would have us all dead.

Making fun of Charleton Heston, an American Hero, seems to be ok to the same crowd who can't seem to tolerate any laughter at a terrorists expense

Scrooge McSam · 02-10-2005, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

...so called international rights of people who would have us all dead.

So called, eh? That little nugget is just too precious... Thanks for the laugh.

If you're willing to believe that every person rounded up in our little neighborhood raids over in Iraq (where EVERY male in an area is rounded up and brought in for questioning and possible incarceration) is a terrorist, perhaps it's time for you to go back to sleep.

sleepyjeff · 02-10-2005, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

So called, eh? That little nugget is just too precious... Thanks for the laugh.

If you're willing to believe that every person rounded up in our little neighborhood raids over in Iraq (where EVERY male in an area is rounded up and brought in for questioning and possible incarceration) is a terrorist, perhaps it's time for you to go back to sleep.

.............. remember why they are being rounded up. Is it to humiliate the population? Is it to show the world how strong we are?..........NO! It would be much easier, and ironically enough much more in accord with so called international law, to just level those neighborhoods with a fuel air bomb. They are being rounded up at our peril, in order to save their lives.

Frankly, I don't believe that American liberals care at all about international law.....it was a previous President that started the practice of transporting prisoners to other countries to be interrogated without so much as a ahem.

Scrooge McSam · 02-10-2005, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

...just level those neighborhoods with a fuel air bomb.

Nice. I'll just let your words speak for themselves. They say volumes more about that kind of thinking than I ever could.

sleepyjeff · 02-10-2005, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

Nice. I'll just let your words speak for themselves. They say volumes more about that kind of thinking than I ever could.

Really not fair, since I did not say we should do this. I said it would be more in accord with international law then the "sweeps"....and I am right, it would be.

Ghoulish Delight · 02-10-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

.............. remember why they are being rounded up. Is it to humiliate the population? Is it to show the world how strong we are?...They are being rounded up at our peril, in order to save their lives.

Sorry, I will not buy the internment camp argument.

02-10-2005, 10:31 AM	#1
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	Funny stuff This is all being done in the name of fighting terror. But the best evidence seems to show that many of the people rounded up and dumped without formal charges into Guantánamo had nothing to do with terror. They just happened to be unfortunate enough to get caught in one of Uncle Sam's depressingly indiscriminate sweeps. Which is what happened to Shafiq Rasul, who was released from Guantánamo about a year ago. His story is instructive, and has not been told widely enough. Mr. Rasul was one of three young men, all friends, from the British town of Tipton who were among thousands of people seized in Afghanistan in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. They had been there, he said, to distribute food and medical supplies to impoverished Afghans. The three were interviewed soon after their release by Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, which has been in the forefront of efforts to secure legal representation for Guantánamo detainees. Under extreme duress at Guantánamo, including hundreds of hours of interrogation and long periods of isolation, the three men confessed to having been in a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. They also said they were among a number of men who could be seen in a videotape of Osama bin Laden. The tape had been made in August 2000. For the better part of two years, Mr. Rasul and his friends, Asif Iqbal and Rhuhel Ahmed, had denied involvement in any terror activity whatsoever. But Mr. Rasul said they eventually succumbed to long months of physical and psychological abuse. Mr. Rasul had been held in isolation for several weeks (his second sustained period of isolation) when an interrogator showed him the video of bin Laden. He said she told him: "I've put detainees here in isolation for 12 months and eventually they've broken. You might as well admit it now." "I could not bear another day of isolation, let alone the prospect of another year," said Mr. Rasul. He confessed. The three men, all British citizens, were saved by British intelligence officials, who proved that they had been in England when the video was shot, and during the time they were supposed to have been in Al Qaeda training camps. All three were returned to England, where they were released from custody. __________________ Is it the fingers, or the brain that you're teaching a lesson?
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02-10-2005, 10:36 AM	#2
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	I wipe my ass with your constitution In one hearing that led up to Monday's decision, Judge Green attempted to see how broadly the government viewed its power to hold detainees. Administration lawyers told her, in response to a hypothetical question, that they believed the president would even have the right to lock up "a little old lady from Switzerland" for the duration of the war on terror if she had written checks to a charity that she believed helped orphans, but that actually was a front for Al Qaeda. Fvcking hillarious! __________________ Is it the fingers, or the brain that you're teaching a lesson?
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02-10-2005, 11:41 AM	#3
Nephythys Yeah, that's about it- Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: In a state of constant crap to get done Posts: 2,688	I was not aware that foreign enemy combatants or suspects had the same Constitutional Rights as us as US citizens....gee, no, they don't.
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02-10-2005, 12:17 PM	#5
sleepyjeff Go Hawks Go! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parkrose Posts: 2,632	LOL Nephy. It was funny and I only wish the 1st and 2nd amendment rights of US citizens were defended as zealously as the so called international rights of people who would have us all dead. Making fun of Charleton Heston, an American Hero, seems to be ok to the same crowd who can't seem to tolerate any laughter at a terrorists expense
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