Two Prisons, Similar Issues for President Obama

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Times

For months, a national debate has raged over the fate of the 245 detainees at the United States military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

But what may be an equally difficult problem now confronts the Obama administration in the 600 prisoners packed into a cavernous, makeshift prison on the American air base at Bagram in Afghanistan.

Military personnel who know Bagram and Guantánamo describe the Afghan site as tougher and more spartan. The prisoners have fewer privileges and virtually no access to lawyers. Many are still held communally in big cages. The Bush administration never allowed journalists or human rights advocates inside.

Problems have developed, as well, with efforts to rehabilitate former jihadists who had been imprisoned at Guantánamo. Nine graduates of a Saudi program have been arrested for rejoining terrorist groups, Saudi officials said Monday.

President Obama must now decide whether and how to continue holding the men at Bagram, most of them suspected of being Taliban fighters. Under the laws of war, they are being held indefinitely and without charge. He must also determine whether to go forward with the construction of a new $60 million prison complex at Bagram that, while offering better conditions for the detainees, would also signal a longer-term commitment to the American detention mission.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/washington/27bagram.html?hp

[jwirr]

1. We have held prisoners of war in the past. How was it determined

to release the Japanese and German prisoners? Were they deported?

[RamboLiberal]

2. Yeah we sent them back once the wars were over

Of course some we tried for war crimes. Justly for the most part IMHO. But those were wars with nations where formal documents were signed. The Russians though didn't send many German prisoners back.

Problem here is who declares the war is over? Theoretically we could be holding these prisoners till the day they die in our custody.

[frog92969]

3. 2?

[Politicalboi]

4. They better get ready and ask these detainees

What they want and how much? This must be done internationally. We can't have our justice system do it. They desreve a jury of their peers.

[angrycarpenter]

5. I heard we have one at Diego Garcia

The place is so secret no one seems to know for sure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia