What's happening with those poor devils at Camp Xray ???

All detainees at Guantanamo are being provided: -- three meals a day that meet Muslim dietary laws -- water -- medical care -- clothing and shoes -- shelter -- showers -- soap and toilet articles -- foam sleeping pads and blankets -- towels and washcloths -- the opportunity to worship -- correspondence materials, and the means to send mail -- the ability to receive packages of food and clothing, subject to security screening

The detainees will not be subjected to physical or mental abuse or cruel treatment. The International Committee of the Red Cross has visited and will continue to be able to visit the detainees privately. The detainees will be permitted to raise concerns about their conditions and we will attempt to address those concerns consistent with security.

Housing. We are building facilities in Guantanamo more appropriate for housing the detainees on a long-term basis. The detainees now at Guantanamo are being housed in temporary open-air shelters until these more long-term facilities can be arranged. Their current shelters are reasonable in light of the serious security risk posed by these detainees and the mild climate of Cuba.

POW Privileges the Detainees will not receive. The detainees will receive much of the treatment normally afforded to POWs by the Third Geneva Convention. However, the detainees will not receive some of the specific privileges afforded to POWs, including: -- access to a canteen to purchase food, soap, and tobacco -- a monthly advance of pay -- the ability to have and consult personal financial accounts -- the ability to receive scientific equipment, musical instruments, or sports outfits.

Walter - Thanks for the excellent link!

By the way, I'm still waiting for you to do so. Your citation doesn't do anything to educate me as to WHICH right or rights you claim they have been denied

(assuming you provide that information) you have done nothing to show that they remained entitled to that right (those rights) given their status as un-uniformed enemy combatants captured during wartime.

Article 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

I did not say that it was necessary to mistreat them in any way. I said that this was possible, since they did not conform to definition of POWs.

Care to get into defining what is "arbitrary"? Or do you prefer to just keep ignoring the word?

Thomas - You like to pretend there's no context to these actions, but we both (all) know that's not true.

Thomas - Once again you want to pretend that this is something it is not. These are not citizens being held on a criminal complaint! Why do you expect them to be treated as something they are not?

In any event the starting point is that these prisoners, unless charged with terrorist offences, should be presumed to be prisoners of war. The US authorities' view is that they are "unlawful combatants" and the Geneva Conventions do not apply. America is entitled to make this case. But the issue can only be determined by a court. Article 5 of the Third Geneva Convention provides that should there be doubt as to whether an individual enjoys PoW status, they shall be treated as such until their status has been determined by a competent judicial tribunal.

Article 5

The present Convention shall apply to the persons referred to in Article 4 from the time they fall into the power of the enemy and until their final release and repatriation.

Should any doubt arise as to whether persons, having committed a belligerent act and having fallen into the hands of the enemy, belong to any of the categories enumerated in Article 4, such persons shall enjoy the protection of the present Convention until such time as their status has been determined by a competent tribunal.

Thomas - I understand that you think of the detainees in a criminal justice context. I can only tell you that it is not accurate to think of them in that way. I'll leave it at that.

Thomas - Once again you want to pretend that this is something it is not. These are not citizens being held on a criminal complaint! Why do you expect them to be treated as something they are not?