Awesome article!
>> http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=18572 >> >> >> What I Saw at Gitmo >> By Lt. Col. Gordon Cucullu >> FrontPageMagazine.com | June 27, 2005 >> >> Last week, I was privileged to be part of a Department of Defense >> trip to the Joint Task Force - Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I got to see >> the operations of this controversial facility up-close >> something particularly important after Sen. Richard Durbins >> comparison of its guard to Nazi stormtroopers and calls of >> leftists to shut the center down. Our group went to GITMO to >> check out tales that the military was being too tough on these >> terrorist detainees. We left convinced that America is being >> extraordinarily lenient far too lenient. >> >> After speaking with soldiers, sailors, and civilians who >> collectively staff Gitmo, I left convinced that abuse definitely >> exists at the detention facilities, and it typically fails to >> receive the press attention it deserves: its the relentless, >> merciless attacks on American servicemen and women by these >> terrorist thugs. Many of the orange jumpsuit-clad detainees fight >> their captors at every opportunity, openly bragging of their >> desire to kill Americans. One has promised that, if released, he >> would find MPs in their homes through the internet, break into >> their houses at night, and cut the throats of them and their >> families like sheep. Others claim authority and vindication to >> kill women, children, and other innocents who oppose their >> jihadist mission authorized by the Koran (the same one that hangs >> in every cell from a specially-designed holder intended to >> protect it from a touching the cell floor all provided at U.S. >> taxpayer expense). One detainee was heard to tell another: One >> day I will enjoy sucking American blood, although their blood is >> bitter, undrinkable . These recalcitrant detainees are known >> euphemistically as being non-compliant. They attack guards >> whenever the soldiers enter their cells, trying to reach up under >> protective facemasks to gouge eyes and tear mouths. They make >> weapons and try to stab the guards or grab and break limbs as the >> guards pass them food. >> >> >> We dined with the soldiers, toured several of the individual >> holding camps, observed interrogations, and inspected cells. We >> were impressed by the universally high quality of the cadre and >> the facilities. While it may not be exactly Club GITMO, as Rush >> Limbaugh uses to tweak the hard-Left critics who havent a clue >> about reality here, GITMO is a far cry from the harshness >> experienced even by maximum security prisoners in the U.S. >> >> >> Meals for detainees are ample: we lunched on what several thought >> was an accumulated single days ration for detainees. No, the >> contract food service manager said with a laugh, what youre >> looking at there is todays lunch. A single meal. They get three >> a day like that. The vegetables, pita bread, and other well- >> prepared food filled two of the large Styrofoam take-home >> containers we see in restaurants. Several prisoners have special >> meal orders like no tomatoes or no peanut products depending >> on taste or allergies. One prisoner, General Hood said, throws >> back his food tray if it contains things he has specifically said >> he doesnt want. How is he punished for this outrageous >> behavior? His tray is numbered, the food he requested is put on >> it, and the corrected order is delivered to his cell. >> >> >> The detainees are similarly catered to medically. Almost every >> one arrived at GITMO with some sort of battlefield trauma. After >> all, the majority were captured in combat. Today they are >> healthy, immunized, and well cared for. At a visit to the modern >> hospital facility dedicated solely to the detainees and >> comparable to a well-equipped and staffed small-town hospital >> with operating, dental, routine facilities the doctor in charge >> confirmed that the caloric count for the detainees was so high >> that while most detainees arrived undernourished, medics now >> watch for issues stemming from high cholesterol and being >> overweight. Each of approximately 520 terrorists currently held >> in confinement averages about four medical visits monthly, >> something one would expect from only a dedicated American >> hypochondriac. Welcome to the rigors of detention under American >> supervision. >> >> >> Of the estimated 70,000 battlefield captures that were made in >> Afghanistan, only a tiny percentage, something on the order of >> 800-plus, were eventually evacuated to GITMO. These were the >> worst of the worst. More than 200 have been released back to >> their home country if the U.S. is assured that the detainees >> would not be tortured by local authorities upon return. These men >> were freed because they were deemed by ongoing official military >> review processes to no longer pose a threat, or to possess no >> useful intelligence. And this process has proven too generous at >> times: more than 10 released GITMO detainees have been killed or >> recaptured fighting Americans or have been identified as resuming >> terrorist activities. Still, the process is up and running for >> review of cases, and if a Washington DC circuit court approves a >> government appeal, the system for military tribunals will get >> started. All mechanisms are in place and ready to go as soon as >> DoD gets a green light. >> >> >> There is a good reason these unlawful combatants are being >> confined. They are evil and dangerous individuals. Yet these >> thugs are treated with an amazing degree of compassion: They are >> given ice cream treats and recreational time. They live in clean >> facilities, and receive a full Muslim religious package of Koran, >> prayer rug, beads, and prayer oils. An arrow in every cell points >> to Mecca. The call to prayer is played five times daily. They are >> not abused, hanged, tortured, beheaded, raped, mutilated, or in >> any way treated the way that they once treated their own captives >> or now treat their guards. >> >> >> Some questioned whether it were wise to give these radical >> Islamic fundamentalists the religious supplies that ended up >> landing them in Gitmo in the first place. Giving them the Koran >> is simply something that we think we ought to do as a humane >> gesture, said second-in-command Brigadier General Gong. Were >> Americans. Thats how we operate. >> >> >> When we challenged military authorities about the seemingly plush >> environs these would-be murderers receive, the commanding >> officers stated this was the most productive course. JTF-GITMO >> commanding officer Brigadier General Jay Hood radiated confidence >> and determination when fielding challenges from our group about >> his overly lenient treatment. It works, he says simply. We do >> not allow torture or mistreatment, period. How to they guarantee >> this? By rigorous, on-going training and constant oversight up >> and down the supervisory chain. As proof that establishing >> rapport with the detainees is far more effective than coercive >> techniques, General Hood refers skeptics to the massive amount of >> usable intelligence information JTF-GITMO continues to produce >> even three years into the program. >> >> >> You are right to worry about inhumane treatment taking place at >> GITMO. But your concern should be for the dedicated, well- >> trained, highly professional American men and women who are >> subjected to a daily barrage of feces, urine, semen, and spit >> hurled at them along with vile invective as they implement a >> humane, enlightened system of confinement on men who want nothing >> more than to kill Americans. These quiet professional Americans, >> who live under the motto Honor Bound for Defense of Freedom, >> deserve our utmost respect and concern. Shame on anyone who >> slanders or disrespects them for short-term and short-sighted >> political advantage. _______________________________________________ RTF mailing list RTF@rolltidefan.net http://rolltidefan.net/mailman/listinfo/rtf_rolltidefan.net
