Khadr, Emotions Aside.
This whole situation with Khadr and Gitmo and being on trial for murder is certainly an emotional one, that has taken up a lot of time up here in Canada. It also opens up a lot of questions too, that seem to be pushed aside due to the emotional aspect of this whole Terrorist Thing. One that perhaps we should look at more closely, because it goes to the very heart of our Society.
The question I have, is why is he even on Trial?
I think we need to consider the history of this whole Afghanistan War, because that is what it is. The Taliban was the recognized Government of Afghanistan at the time of 9/11 and they did provide safe harbor to Osama and his group, which initiated the war, according to Western Thinking & Pundits. While the excuse given by Osama for attacking the United States is thin, in my mind, it isn’t for them, or for those who have a very deep religious sense. They truly believe that the USA defiled their Holy Land, and so they went to war with America.
Right or Wrong, they did and the Taliban, another extreme religious group, gave them safe harbor. Now it might be because they believed in the cause or claim by Osama, or may be simply because they felt some kinship to Osama. The fact is WE went to war with them over their giving him safe Harbor. It wasn’t an invasion in the middle of the night, and we did clearly declare our intent. So to me that is War, not a raid, not a police action, but actual WAR.
Khadr and others resisted that invasion, and were soldiers for the Taliban, (that is the term the USA has used, so even they acknowledge he was a soldier, albeit a boy soldier.) the Government being attacked, in their mind, and even in ours. We called them Combatants who were captured and taken into custody. No different than when the Allies captured Germans or Italians in WWII. So let us get to the issue here.
How many German, Japanese, Italian soldiers did the Allies take into custody, as Prisoners of War, and then charge them with Murder, for killing an Allied Soldier?
See they were ‘combatants‘ doing the bidding of their government, and they did kill Allied Soldiers but how many front line soldiers, captured in battle, were brought back to England, Canada, or the USA, and tried for Murder?
Khadr was captured in a fire fight, with Taliban and in that battle, it is claimed he threw a grenade that killed a Medic. So upon capture he was taken to a prison, tortured there, then spirited off to the USA where he was tortured further, and then is placed on Trial for Murder. All because of the alleged actions DONE ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE DURING A WAR.
Now, President Bush and his supporters, like Stephen Harper, claim that the enemy being fought does a lot worse to captured allies, which is true. Course that really isn’t at issue, as they are not signatories of the Geneva Convention, as the United States and other NATO countries are. President Bush claims that it doesn’t apply to these ‘combatants‘ because they are not a recognized government.
Sorry but the Taliban was indeed the recognized Government of Afghanistan. Kind of makes that claim a bit suspect, don’t you think?
The issue to me is that while many think he should be tried in the USA, the fact is, why should any soldier defending his government be held responsible? It is like, we have somehow forgotten that the rules of war apply to all, that we as a civilized nation agreed to those standards. We can’t just decide not to follow them, simply because the other side doesn’t. We didn’t do that with Japanese Prisoners in WWII, who also were not signer of the Geneva Convention, and who did treat our Prisoners ROUGH. So why did we follow the rules there, but won’t here?
By allowing the United States to hold this Canadian Citizen, this Boy Soldier, we are actually helping the Enemy. They see how we treat their soldiers, so what incentive is there for them to change how they treat ours? Why should they even consider ending their struggle against us, when we are proving to them that we are as they think we are? EVIL.
Table of contents for Fighting Terror
- Khadr, Emotions Aside.
- Good Question, Wrong Answer Ashcroft
- Just Following Orders
- George Orwell Had It Right
Ian @ July 17, 2008
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