January 25, 2002
Much
Ado About Nothing at Camp X-Ray
By Tom Bevan
Sometimes it's difficult
to tell what will send some people into hysterics. This week,
it was the release of a series of photographs by the Department
of Defense showing the al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners being held
at Camp X-Ray with their hands shackled, kneeling on "rocky
earth." Criticism came quickly from the usual suspects: European
government representatives, human rights organizations, and a
cadre of American leftists who filed law suits against the U.S.
government.
The International
Committee of the Red Cross, in particular, went into a snit over
the pictures, claiming that they violate the 1949 Geneva
Convention on treatment of prisoners of war by making the
al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners a "public curiosity."
"Such pictures
should not be disseminated," huffed Darcy Christen of the
ICRC, "They could have a strong impact on the family and
the Muslim community worldwide." Hmmm. Does Ms. Christen
mean something like the impact those pictures of the burning World
Trade Center had (and still have) on the vicitims' families? And
let's hope the pitctures from Camp X-Ray do send a message to
the Muslim community around the world: terrorists and those who
support them will be brought to justice by the United States and
its allies.
Still, despite all
of the grousing about whether the prisoners fall under the Geneva
Convention or not, the question is simple: are they being treated
humanely? The answer is an emphatic 'yes.'
On Tuesday, the Times
of London reported that prisoners at Camp X-Ray are getting bagels
and cream cheese for breakfast, daily medical checks, prayers
broadcast over the PA system, as much water as they desire, and
will receive free copies of the Koran. Also on Tuesday the Washington
Post reported that a US Navy Muslim chaplain will be dispatched
to Cuba to "minister to the religious needs of al-Qaeda and
Taliban detainees." I'm sure most Americans would not be
thrilled to know that their tax dollars are being shelled out
so that al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners can bone up on the religious
views that made them conspirators in the worst terrorist attack
in history.
Not to be too blithe,
but isn't there a volcano erupting somewhere causing massive tragedy
that would be a better use of the ICRC's time? Aren't Christians
and dissidents being jailed all over China in conditions infinitely
worse than those at Guantanemo Bay? This is not to say that the
US should be above scrutiny, but it's clear that the prisoners
at Camp X-Ray are being treated humanely and with respect. Some
could even argue the prisoners are being treated with too much
respect. No one can dispute the fact that the prisoners are enjoying
a much better standard of living than they did in Afghanistan.
Once again, however,
we find the 'international community' and American leftists rushing
headlong to protect the the 'rights' of the worst humanity has
to offer. This torrent of outrage erupted over 'perceived abuses'
created by a few photographs, not by a sober investigation of
the true conditions of Camp X-Ray and its inhabitants. Don't be
fooled, this is not about human rights. If any other country were
running Camp X-Ray not a word would be said. This is about those
who oppose the War on Terror (and who are beside themselves over
its early success) looking for something to pin on the Bush administration.
Let's remember that
America, always held to the highest standard on the planet, has
an impeccable human rights record unmatched by any other country.
Remember also that those who tut-tut America's treatment of prisoners
at Camp X-Ray display a worldview that is so farfetched and so
naive as to insult the integrity and compassion of the American
people. Just ask the families of those who died on September 11.
Tom
Bevan writes for RealClearPolitics.
