Yahoo had this interesting news item today: U.S. defends Guantanamo inmate indefinite detentions.
I've blogged before about my feelings about this, but it's nice to see the Bush administration is no longer being vague about it.
The administration has said that these people need to be held as long as the "War on Terrorism" continues. When asked if there is a defined end to the war, Deputy Associate Attorney General Wiggins said there is none.
Now, I happen to agree with that. There will never be an end to the War on Terrorism. You might as well have a War on Sadness, or a War on Fear. Sure you can try to minimize it, but it will never go away.
Anyway, when asked if this means if the prisoners can be locked up forever, Wiggens said yes.
I'm almost in too much shock to even know what to say. A senior government official saying that we have the right to put someone in jail, without trail, forever, seems to go against every principal this country was founded on.
But wait - it gets better! Senator Jeff Sessions had this to say: "This country is not systematically abusing prisoners. We have no policy to do so. And it's wrong to suggest that. And it puts our soldiers at risk who are in this battle because we sent them there."
I'm sure he is right. I bet those guys locked up (forever remember) are being treated very well. But focus on the second half of his quote. According to Sessions, it is wrong for people to complain about it, and it also puts our soldiers at risk.
Ok... so I'll complain when the War on Terrorism is over... because then I won't be putting our soldiers in harms way.
For my last quote, Sessions had this to say about the prisoners: "Some of them need to be executed."
He is probably right. I'm sure we have some very nasty people in there. Here is a crazy idea though - how about actually giving them a fair trial before we execute them, or would that be asking for too much? Oh sorry - putting soldiers at risk - I better stop now.
Lastly... I wonder how many of these prisoners, after being told that they can be locked up forever, would actually prefer execution?