im australian and we have had one of the australian prisoners released without charges. his name is mamdouh habib. there is another young australian there called david hicks. me habib spoke of horrific things he experiences while there. i heard somewhere that they are allowed to torture prisoners in guantanemo bay. i dont know if this is true. can someone enlighen me on the situation and offer your opinions.
130506
As an American, it disgusts me. Not so much that people who are actually guilty of the crimes for which they have been accused are at Guantanamo, but because of the number of people who i'm sure AREN'T guilty and are being held there, without any charges being brought against them. \n\nI understand that a number of these people are evil. I understand that they want to murder me, and those I love, simply because i'm an American. I understand how horrible it is. But I also understand the nation that our Founding Fathers created. And their reasons for doing so. These men need to be charged, or let go. They should get their day in court. The ones who may NOT be guilty deserve that. \n\nAs an American, I like to look to our Founding Fathers for an example. They are the spirit of the United States of America. These men went to war, a war they knew they could very well die in and lose, for liberty. For freedom. For basic FAIRNESS. They were more afraid of living with no rights, living with injustice then they were of death. \n\nIt makes me ask myself, what's wrong with Americans these days? Are we so afraid of death that we are willing to give up what MAKES us American. just to gain a few more breaths on this Earth? I'm more afraid of what our own government can do if given too much power then I am of what any al qaeda could ever hope to do. A terrorist can kill me, but the loss of our spirit, the spirit of freedom and fairness, would break me.\n\nDeath doesn't scare me as much as the thought of what kind of "America" is going to be left for my daughter, and future grandchildren, if we keep going down this dark road Bush has led us down. History has proven where this road leads. And it isn't to happiness.
328001
You sound a lot like my brother...are you?  Seriously ditch town.  My brother didn't and now he is behind bars for a good 4 more years. and that is for the first crime he already served, just for violation of parole....he was out on good behavior. He has problems and issues, but he is my brother and will not judge him, love him.   Since Australia started out as a penal colony I do not see why they wouldn't take you and yes you can permanently leave the United States, but you need to obtain  citizenship, France is where you should go it requires you to give up on your US citizenship and think all other countries do too.  Back to my brother he is telling me all the things he wants to do with his life when he gets out...well saying and doing are two different things and with a criminal record it won't be easy to get on with your life it sucks but that is our society. But I'd leave town and start anew, and just be honest with people close to you so your past doesn't catch up with you.
88423
a few things...  Prisoners in a camp aren't under "courtesy", they are convicted felons/criminals, being held there to keep them away from society... The international forces who there received an order to leave the area because they were at risk of being attacked by the Palestinian militants there. Israel new this, and couldn't let those prisoners break free. Using the work 'kidnap' is about as accurate as saying that a bounty hunter who captures escaped felons is a 'kidnapper'. The main prisoner wasn't just 'accused' - he was convicted as well. As for your main question on the effects of this story? It won't increase the conflict, but it will be fuel for the Politicians on both sides to spin whichever way they want...
236448
I for one almost gagged when I heard he was coming to the colorado supermax...then i read a list of other infamous prisoners there, yikes!  remind me  to never drive past the town of florence lol.  I absolutely think the US messed up by giving him life.  He didn't even want to live and he is only a detriment to himself and society so it's a lose-lose situation as I see it.  lol i'm going to go find a fluff q now! :p
644537
I've never been there as a prisoner, but I have volunteered as an ex-offender advocate. Sometimes, that has involved going to the site of their incarceration before release. That is a great idea. Also, children of incarcerated people are a very often overlooked "need" group. Good luck to you.
12852
Actually, it's a dirty political game for bush & his group to justify his illegal work by raping Iraq, Afganistan, and recent choas in Middle East. What's happening in Gwantanmo is totally illegal & not ethical since all the prisoners there are innocenet even they do not know why they are receiving this.
393797
when you say death penalty, i believe its hanging?\nI wonder how this one time leader would feel, if his head was severed in a market place, with crounds of jeering people, as i believe is the traditional arab way?\nWell, if its good enogh for princess's ?\n\nBut then.....didnt the us instigate all this, because he was a Barbarian, not to be trusted with long range chemical weaponry?.....but then theyve side stepped having to jail him for life themselves.....(even they wouldnt hang him, with the worlds media)...so they let someone else do it.
456417
GEE.... I wish I had Yahoo Answers to do my homework!!\nThey finally caught the guerrilla after the brutal attack.\nHe tried asking for amnesty, but that was not an option.\nAfter the reconciliation of the case, it was decided his fate.
175693
I have to say the one that went to jail had a bum rap. But I doubt very much if they will pay him back financialy. He lost a lot of years. With all respect to the the girl who was killed. He was accused, mistreated,freedom taken away, and probably treated  ungodly in prison. Being locked up is hell on earth.
352852
All excellent points - and the simple truth is that people **DO** afford criminals more rights than victims. It isn't politically correct to do otherwise.\n\nHowever in the US, a very interesting project has been set up. In short although people cannot be FORCED to submit to corporal punishment - some criminals can VOLUNTEER to be treated in that way under some conditions - and perhaps get reduced jail time in return.\n\nLots of details here http://www.okplus.com/fedup/index.html \n\nVery interestingly, they presently have a ZERO recidivism level for people that have been through their system.\n\nDo not be thrown by the site, the program is still running BUT the website is badly in need of some updating (or was when I last looked)\n\nI think one hangup people have about corporal punishment, is the perceived severity of it. The old UK / USA way of flogging across the back in fact left little more than "shaving nicks" - if it cut at all.\n\nAnyone who has seen too many "Mutiny on the bounty" style films and wishes to disagree should try to remember that the make-up department tends to get more than a little carried away.\n\nWet rope is not sharp enough or dense enough to "lay a mans back open to the bone" Something does not need to cut to be felt ;)\n\nThe scheme mentioned above in fact uses low-voltage cable as a cheap disposable lash material. Like the rope, little or no cutting at all - but apparently the welts are quite tender at the time.\n\nI just wish we had a system like this in the UK too, I think it could be a valuable tool to help people stay out of prison and to reduce the prison population. Nanny-state in the UK though at the moment so not much chance for a while yet.
300593
If he has already become a permanent Australian resident then there is no way you can send him back.\n\nHowever depending on what he did to you. Eg if he stole money from you or lived (promising to contribute) but didnt pay expenses you could go to the police and make a report for them to go and see him and get your money back or take him to the small claims tribunal (court) to retrieve your money. So I guess it depends on what hes done to you! If you give more of an insight as to what he did to torture you maybe we can put our heads together and come up with something.
154829
I have a best friend in Sydney, a true "Australian", born and raised there...and he's the most wonderful person I know!  I flew over there to visit, about 7 years ago...and everywhere I went, I met the most awesome people!  Australia was originally a penal colony, a place where England/Great Britain sent their convicts.  The Australians are a people founded on that, and many spend years tracing their roots, hoping to find that one of their ancestors WAS a convict.  They've taken that penal colony, and made it into a really great country, with the openess and democracy of American combined with the strength, fortitude and resolve of the Brits.  They're a strong, proud people, and if you ever get the chance to visit....you'll be like me, and not want to go home!  They share a dual-citizenship status with America, unlike Britain, who doesn't.  Every year, there are around 500 Americans who become Australian citizens and spend the rest of their lives there.  The country is beautiful, and you can be in the mountains one minute, and an hour later, be lazing on the beach!  They embrace the Aborigine culture, and you see it wherever you go in artwork, in names of cities, towns, streets, etc. (Wollongong, Parrametta, Coolangotta).  Their towns and cities and highways are clean, trash-free, and while there, I went through all areas of Sydney, and saw NO slums, NO graffiti, NO homeless, NO crime.  One of the friendliest nations in the world, and well worth the money spent to visit, if you get the chance!  And my having a southern accent (from Georgia in the US) seemed to be so cool to them! :)
541779
it's already being done.  at least 44 suspects have died while in the tender mercies of our army prisons.  and that's just the ones we know about.  who knows how many have been torured to death in those secret renditions to torture prone allied countries?
658982
Yes, we've risen to new heights of incompetence.  If it is clear that each prisoner is a terrorist, it should be quick work to charge them, try them, and throw them into real jails (military or otherwise).  What is so unreasonable or difficult about that?\n\nBut it's taken more than 4 years to charge a tiny handful, and finally send a few never-charged people home.  While we don't seem to be able to get our stuff sufficiently together even to CHARGE the vast majority after all this time.\n\nIt's obviously incoherent.  I think the gov't is embarrassed to admit it's clueless about most of these prisoners (who mostly seem to be there based on snap decisions by soldiers in the field, as far as we can tell).  What do you say to people you've imprisoned for 4 years with no visitation by their families when you finally decide you have no basis to hold them and need to send them home?  Better to drag it out.  Maybe some evidence will turn up, or they will commit suicide or something.
20858
The folks defending the US's behavior in Gitmo are basing their ideas on emotions, anfd often thinly-veiled racist beliefs.  There is only two legimate, legal, MORAL options concerning the "Detainees"-  they are either classified as EPWs- who then would be treated as such under the rules of armed conflict, Geneva Convention accords, and US law- OR they must be considered criminals and in turn be charged with a crime- in addition to all the legal entitlements accused persons in the US are due. Of course, neither is occurring- they are in some sort of Bizzaro World of Political and legal Limbo- and no one (except us wet-blanket crybabies who are so "Un-Umerican" as to concern ourselves with (gasp!) human rights and the rule of law) seems to care one bit.  In fact, I feel the majority of people- like the ones answering above, feel quite a vulgar little thrill at the thought of inflicting such indignities and/or suffering on the detainees.\nWhat next?  How far will this crazy train of racist backwoods justice take this country and this world?      Yikes.
553830
He should be locked up. He is dangerous. Are you writing from the U.S.? Aren't the jails overcrowded there? Maybe this is why he couldn't be jailed.
186174
It may not be perfect but.... If not there then where?  Let these choir boys walk?   Theses are for the most part people dedicated to killing as many Americans in particular and non-fundementalist Muslims in general as possible.\n\nA large percentage of the ones that have been released have been recaptured, killed or detained back in Iraq or Afghanistan fighting again.\n\nThe sooner the bleeding hearts crying for the release of these poor lambs realize they want to kill us, them included, by any means possible the better off we will be.\n\nTry them in our civil court system??  HA!  Look what a multi million dollar circus the Moussaoui trial has been and not near finished yet because it will be ENDLESSLY appealed.\n\nThe next time anyone starts beating their breast and whining about the detainees "civil rights" being violated, refer them to the web sites with the beheadings of the hostages in Iraq and let them see how the rights of the terrorists prisoners are respected while they kick and scream as their heads are sawed off.\n\nSo.... what do I REALLY think??  OK, nail all the cells doors shut and set the place on fire, that would do justice and shut the people up calling for release.  Detainees cases allll closed, next pleeese!