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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (46612)	5/24/2004 7:22:35 PM
From: Neeka	Respond to of 794009

My understanding is that the International Red Cross has a mandate to investigate the conditions of prisoners of war and civilian internees. According to their mission statement the ICRC is concerned with protecting the "lives of victims of war and internal violence and provide them with assistance." No where in that mission statement are the words prisoner of war used. The mission The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict. It also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles. Established in 1863, the ICRC is at the origin of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. icrc.org I would be interested to see the argument that Americans who have been kidnapped by Al Qaeda are either of these - prisoners of war or civilian internees. The kind of kidnappers we have in Iraq have shown that they couldn't care less about how their victims are classified. Maybe they have stated so and I've just missed it? The whole point of this conversation is to ask where the ICRC stands in the matter. As far as I know the ICRC has not made an effort to negotiate on behalf of Americans who have been kidnapped in Iraq. Our own argument about Al Qaeda, as I understand it, is that they are common criminals without any legitimate status. I understand the same thing. Al Qaeda detainees are not considered to be kidnapped or victims by the US government, but the way the ICRC seems to want to go about it is to claim the detainees in Gitmo be classified as "victims of war and internal conflict." That is what they are if they adhere to their own mission statement considering their inspections and reports on behalf of those detainees. There certainly does seem to be a conflict between how they view Al Qaeda detainees and the US govts. view. And this seems to be a bone of contention. The ICRC has been selective over the years when it comes to assisting POWs, detainees, enemy combatants or victims of war of internal violence. The ICRC has a whole web site dedicated to answering these questions, and I'm posting it here. icrc.org If the weather wasn't so good I'd spend the next hour studying it, but I'm going outside and enjoy it while it's here. Seattle rarely sees such weather and I hear it will be raining by Wednesday. I will certainly take a look see later this evening. M