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To: TimF who wrote (2330)	3/13/2002 6:29:27 AM
From: thames_sider	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 21057

The alternative to detaining them would have been just killing them all. I'm not objecting to their detention - I object to the arbitrary decree that they are covered neither by civilian protections, nor by the Geneva conventions. It's done purely out of power and vindictiveness - because you can, and there's no one strong enough to retaliate. It looks petty, brutal, and unworthy. Even if it follows some arguable letter of law, it is a huge and blatant violation of its spirit. And it gravely weakens your position. It's very short-sighted. Would Soviet spies have been treated in this manner? Of course not - because the US might suffer in the same way. But, as Daniel Pearl found out, other groups may then take law (as they see it) into their own hands likewise. If a nation loudly claiming the high moral ground abrogates rights in this fashion, what hope of ever exerting moral pressure on kidnap groups anywhere? Lastly, the way in which it was done - as though expecting praise - may have played well to the jingoist faction at home, but reminds the rest of us of the show trials of an African dictator, full of bombast. Like him, officials not only showed no embarrassment - but seemed oblivious of any reason to be embarrassed. A few months ago the media and leaders of the US wondered why it had so little respect in the world at large... can you really not see that this is one reason why?