Posted by
Scatbug on Saturday, July 26, 2008 6:30:37 PM
Will we acknowledge that there is no more powerful example than the one each of our nations projects to the world? Will we reject torture and stand for the rule of law?
-- Barack Obama, Berlin July 24, 2008
On Friday we were given a glimpse inside the imprisonment of Salim Hamdan. According to most press reports, Mr. Hamdan was once upon a time Osama bin Laden’s driver. Unlike many hired drivers, however, Hamdan was captured on a battlefield driving a car (SUV?) equipped with two surface-to-air missiles. Because his chauffeur’s license did not have the required ‘SAM’ stamp, Hamdan was arrested by US military personnel and eventually transferred to the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The US military, in contravention of long standing international traditions regarding prisoners detained during wartime, has decided to place Hamdan on trial for alleged crimes committed against the United States. The military has also instituted the unheard of policy of allowing Hamdan representation by American attorneys who may cross-examine witnesses and review evidence. He faces the possibility of release if found not guilty.
The trial began this past week. On Friday, Reuters reported on the kind of treatment Hamdan has experienced during his confinement, based on actual testimony and evidence from the trial. The news story begins by providing a description, albeit limited in scope, of Hamdan’s prison diet:
"Mr. Hamdan commented that he liked McDonald's fries and we brought fries in," FBI special agent George Crouch told Hamdan's terrorism war crimes trial before a U.S. military commission. "Mr. Hamdan even appreciated that McDonald's fries are not good cold."
Don’t we all. Agent Crouch, typical of the devious nature of interrogators, at times “intervened” with the military on Hamdan’s “behalf”:
Hamdan's mood lifted when he was allowed to call and tell his wife that he was alive seven months after his capture in November 2001.
"Mr. Hamdan cried quite a bit," Crouch said. "He was very grateful for the opportunity to speak to his wife. A burden had been lifted from him. At least his wife knew he was alive."
No word on whether the tissues on hand contained aloe and vitamin E for sensitive skin. Actually, there was no word on whether any tissues were made available at all. So any conclusions made along this line of inquiry are purely speculative in nature.
Salim Hamdan at trial (Reuters)
Moving along, next the story shines the bright light of public scrutiny on interrogation tactics:
Defense attorneys introduced a document indicating that Hamdan was interrogated in the middle of the night by someone whose identity is classified, between two days of questioning by FBI agent Daniel William.
"He was woken up in his sleep," defense attorney Joseph McMillan said in court. William said had not known about this, but did not think it affected his own interview and Hamdan did not appear tired.
If you’re like me, a parent of young children, your first reaction to this news was to wonder whether you could hire Code Pink to protest outside your kids’ bedroom. (“What do we want?”… “Sleep!”… “When do we want it?”… “For a continuous 7 to 8 hour period!”) I’m kidding, of course. But it’s hard not to see the common humanity we all share when a man’s dreams are interrupted.
And finally, Reuters addresses the all important issue of detainee health:
Military authorities disclosed on Friday that Hamdan had been taken to a hospital briefly on Thursday afternoon. Berrigan said Hamdan had had a fever and felt better on Friday, when he appeared in court.
Joint Task Force spokeswoman Cdr. Pauline Storum said medical staff had examined Hamdan and found him to be "in good health with no acute medical conditions."
A couple of things stand out here. First is the phrase, “…Hamdan had had a fever…” I’m left wondering if this is code for torture. Traditional medicine has two standard treatment protocols for a common fever. As opposed to feeding a cold, one starves a fever. The other method involves administering plenty of fluids. I think we all know the frightful implications the latter carries in this case.
The second point concerns Hamdan’s clean bill of health, according to US officials. More useful would be a comparison of his current health status with that prior to his arrest. Certainly some enterprising reporter can contact the al Qaeda Surgeon General’s office for Hamdan’s medical file. Only then could we obtain a complete picture of the physical impact his confinement has had. Of course gaining insight to changes in his mental health would prove more difficult and open to subjective interpretation.
I will continue to post on this issue as developments warrant.