Rattling the Cage

His mind was filled with a single thought: that of his happiness destroyed for no apparent reason
--The Count of Monte Cristo

The AP reports, "The U.N. human rights chief (Louise Arbour) expressed concern Wednesday at recent U.S. legislative and judicial actions that she said leave hundreds of detainees without any way to challenge their indefinite imprisonment" (U.S. Criticized for Detainees' Treatment.)

I find it difficult to call people detainees after four years+ of lockdown in an isolated prison. Detainee is such a mild word for personnel who are indefinite prisoners without recourse to the U.S. legal system.

The most common comment Ranger gets is that these personnel are not covered by the Geneva Convention and that they deserve their fate. Not a very reasoned viewpoint, as this same reasoning strips G.C. rights from our soldiers.

If we do not extend G.C. considerations to their combat personnel, then how do we expect our soldiers to be treated when captured? Affording the protections of this pact is not contingent upon the behavior of the adversary. All that is necessary is that they are identifiable according to the Convention or its Protocols, into which the U.S. has entered as signatories.

"I am very concerned that we see detention without trial and with, in my opinion, insufficient supervision," Arbour told a news conference after meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ranger agrees, and hopes the Secretary-General will elevate this question to the security Counsel level of debate. If Congress won't pursue democracy, possibly the U.N. can lead the way.

It's ironic that a Korean from a recent U.S. client state should bring this lesson to the forefront. It seems democracy is better understood by Koreans than by the U.S. Congress.