Former Gitmo prosecutor slams detention camp (says many were grossly abused)

[sabra]

Source: The Globe and Mail

Darrel Vandeveld believes many detainees, including Canadian Omar Khadr, were grossly abused

Lieutenant-Colonel Darrel Vandeveld had been a prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay for one year when he went to seek advice from a priest. He wondered whether he should resign from a legal system he had come to believe was a sham, but he expected to hear he should stick with it and work within the system.

The priest offered no such advice. Instead he told the lawyer: "Quit. Do not co-operate with evil."

Last fall, Mr. Vandeveld did quit the controversial Guantanamo Bay military commissions system, becoming the latest member of the U.S. military to resign for ethical reasons. Last week, he spoke to The Globe and Mail about his transformation from a hardened prosecutor bent on revenge, to one of Guantanamo Bay's harshest critics - a man who now believes that many of the Guantanamo detainees, including Canadian Omar Khadr, were grossly abused.

"We've mistreated that poor fellow," Mr. Vandeveld said of Mr. Khadr, "regardless of what he's done."

...

Mr. Vandeveld became one of about a half-dozen officials who have quit the controversial Guantanamo Bay legal system - a list that includes his former boss, chief prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis. However, he admits today that he didn't leave quickly enough.

"I felt like I was losing a part of myself ... but I lacked the courage," he said. "It took me too long to separate myself from this."

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090302.GITMO02/TPStory/National

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[AzDar]

2. " Do not cooperate with evil."

:thumbsup:

[whokilledthem]

4. " Do not cooperate with evil."

Amen and Bravo!

[ReliantJ]

3. It's like every time these stories

I think people get more desensitized.Let's get something done about this

[Gregorian]

5. Note to Bush- Oh, we're going to bring it on.

If an unpaid parking fine is worse than invading a country and torturing human beings, then there is no such thing as a human race.

I say bring on the truth and justice.

[swilton]

6. Trickle, trickle, trickle

The dyke of the myth of American morality has this Guantanamo
Bay hole in it.  I hope when the flood comes that it can be
rebuilt.  Hopefully, exposures such as this and the release of
further prisoners will be the beginning of the catharsis
process that will include accountability.  Then we can begin
the rebuilding of our humanity.  :patriot: 

[Overseas]

7. K&R to salute the courage of those who have spoken out. //nt

[scytherius]

8. Republicans LOVE LOVE LOVE torture

They'd torture non-Christians and Dems if they thought they could get away with it.

[Cosmic Surfer]

9. Guantanamo and other Black Sites

If you want the story - as much as we can know at this time
UC Davis testimonials Project - Guards to attorneys, story
after story....

http://humanrights.ucdavis.edu/projects/the-guantanamo-testimonials-project

If you want to her it from the detainees:

http://www.cageprisoners.com/

and if you want to find out about the other Black Sites (the
ones known at this time)

http://www.cageprisoners.com/prisons.php

HAD ENOUGH YET?
DO SOMETHING

http://www.amnestyusa.org/war-on-terror/page.do?id=1011329

Join us to call for closure and call for fair trials...
Join us to call for the end of renditions and the end of
torture

Help us end the reign of terror

[FakirsCA]

10. reply re calls for action on behalf of Omar Khadr

It doesn't matter what you think or do. Omar Khadr isn't coming back to Canada - ever:
http://fakirsca.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-and-times-of-omar-khadr.html

Marnie Tunay
Fakirs Canada
http://fakirscanada.googlepages.com/

[saigon68]

11. War Criminals CHIMP and CHENEY need to do the perp walk