US steps back from Guantanamo suicide comments

[Eugene]

US steps back from Guantanamo suicide comments

Jun 12, 2006 — By Peter Graff

LONDON (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official rowed back on Monday from remarks by colleagues
that Guantanamo Bay prisoners' suicides were an act of war and a "good PR move," after the
comments were condemned abroad.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs Cully Stimson, speaking
to BBC radio, distanced himself from the statements.

"I wouldn't characterize it as a good PR move. What I would say is that we are always concerned
when someone takes his own life. Because as Americans, we value life, even the lives of violent
terrorists who are captured waging war against our country," he said.

<snip>

The left-leaning Guardian described Admiral Harris's remarks as "cold and odious." "The demented
logic of Dr Strangelove hung like a ghost" over the U.S. response to the suicides, it said.

<snip>

Full article: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2065050

[ixion]

1. point of order: if, as he says, these people have waged 'war' against

our country, then why haven't they been charged? Hmmmmmmmmm?

[Warren Stupidity]

4. If they have 'waged war'

then they are 'prisoners of war' and must be treated according to our legal and binding treaty obligations under the Geneva Conventions. Oddly, it is the folks in charge of setting up and keeping that gulag operational who ought to be its residents, pending extradition to The Hague.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. The rational they use

to justify their deeds is appalling.

[izzie]

2. It was odd but

the far right are always saying odd stuff that does not sound like it came from an American. One of the best is that we kill more people on the road than have been killed in Iraq. What does that mean? It is like so many things they say are really our of line but they just do not see it and then maybe it is my way of thinking. I feel really out of step with it.

[Miss Chybil]

8. You might be on to something there. Maybe, they're not really

Americans, but secret plants from some intergalactic species of worm.

[Tace]

21. I Think Of Them As A Subspecies Headed For Extinction...

Like the Neandrethals that split off and eventually went extinct.

[Miss Chybil]

22. Maybe, the Neanderthals didn't really go extinct. Maybe, that's who

the Wingers really are! Ah, but that makes the Neanderthals look bad, doesn't it? I'll stick with intergalactic worms.

[DBoon]

9. we kill more people on the road

than were killed in 9/11

Maybe terrorism isn't such a big threat?

Do we give up our civil liberties because of auto accidents?

[izzie]

28. Well that is it. I do not understand that thinking.

Also like we should not questions our leaders. What was that early war all about if it was not to question the rulers? The whole thing was set up because we did not truth the leader to always do what was right. We were really not for a God giving right to rule over us. Yet over and over I hear the Republican of this day go for a man who said God put him in that spot to rule. Not what the GOP would have said 40 years ago. It is like we have very un-Americans running the gov. and it is just off the wall to me. If it keeps up I see it as the end of this republic. Not a crash but a slow pace of what we stood for just leaving the country.This seems to be what this 'far right' want and the odd part is they will be one of the first to go. Look at history and what happens when you put in an all powerful ruler. He always keeps the power even as he kills of the one near him in case they may want that power.

[coalition_unwilling]

19. Torture is as American as apple pie (n/t)

[htuttle]

3. The demented ghost of Dr. Strangelove is our co-pilot nowdays...

...with PT Barnum egging him on.

[rodeodance]

5. this needs to be a headline in ALL ---US papers.

[gratuitous]

6. A sense of shame after all?

I surely would have lost money on that bet.

But the jury's still out if, in the midst of "apologizing" for such cruel and callous comments, Deputy Assistant Secretary Stimson can still imply that the folks who killed themselves are "violent terrorists who are captured waging war against" anyone. If they were captured "waging war," then they're prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. If they're "violent terrorists," where is your proof, Mr. Stimson? You've had nearly four years to build a case. Proof, sir. Or report to The Hague to answer for your abduction and unlawful imprisonment of another human being.

[coalition_unwilling]

20. Guantanamo is a CONCENTRATION CAMP! Why won't

any Democratic leader of note say those words? What's wrong with the Democratic leaders?

[Kagemusha]

7. Funny generals value the lives of terrorists more than they do themselves

while generals speak of them in a manner that suggests the exact opposite.

[Supersedeas]

17. it is bizarro logic from this Admin

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Seems someone forgot

to let the asshole on the Diane Rehms show know the new talking points.

I don't know who he was, but when he started going on about how great life in Gitmo was and the wonderful food, I went nuts. Good thing no one was around.

[saigon68]

12. That was the Cheney Creature ---- the War Criminal

[Why Syzygy]

18. The forced feeding food?

Or the not force fed food?

[High Plains]

13. If only our leaders would practice "acts of war" like this.

[Ghost Dog]

14. Nice one.

:-) With respect to all real people.

[zreosumgame]

15. so after all this...

just how seriously should we take their word these were actual suicides?

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Good question

especially with this gang.

[54anickel]

23. The "left-leaning Guardian"...I've got to say I'm rather surprised they

are backing off just because of some comments from abroad. They used to just not give a rat's ass what the rest of the world has had to say. They must be getting "sensitive". Sort of reminds me of that moment when Bush basically said maybe "bring it on" wasn't the best choice of words. :eyes:

[kskiska]

24. U.S. distances itself from comments on suicides

U.S. diplomat’s statement calling deaths ‘good P.R.’ draws international fire

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration distanced itself Monday from remarks by a U.S. diplomat that the suicides of three Arab prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay prison were “good P.R.”

Meanwhile, a leading human rights group called for an independent investigation into their deaths.

Colleen Graffy, deputy assistant U.S. secretary of state for public diplomacy, told the British Broadcasting Corp. that the suicides at the U.S.-run camp in Cuba were a “good P.R. move to draw attention” and “a tactic to further the jihadi cause.”

Her unscripted remarks threw a monkey wrench in the administration’s plan to demonstrate concern over the deaths and respond to rising criticism of the U.S. operation of the prison.

more…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13286154/

[daleo]

25. How can "the U.S." distance itself from a U.S. diplomat

That headline phraseology is just lazy.

[Up2Late]

26. But Did they FIRE HER!?!?

That's all I want to hear.

Oh, I just LOVE this:

"The administration responded Monday. “I would just point out in public that we would not say that it was a P.R. stunt,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

But you DID!

:banghead:

[journalist3072]

27. That would be too much like right! eom