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Volume 27, Issue 11, october 21, 2004

Opinion

Soul searching in Guantanamo

mugBryan Goodland
Columnist

After 9/11 the intelligence community took a bashing for allowing their guard to be down. In fact many continue to criticize their efforts and in light of recent events the criticism may be warranted.

Guantanamo Bay, as we all know, is being used to detain those who are thought to be involved in any aspect of terrorism. The facility has been, from the beginning, a public relations nightmare. Critics have questioned the treatment of the detainees and have also questioned the validity of even having such a facility. How can the United States keep people detained without charging them with any crime? This makes us look like a global bully bent on revenge. However, it turns out that we might be justified in having this facility after all.

Seven detainees from Guantanamo Bay have gone back to their terrorist pasts. Although not all the names have been released to the public, one former Guantanamo prisoner, Abdullah Mehsud recently directed a kidnapping in Pakistan that ended in the death of a Chinese engineer. The others have remained unidentified, but apparently have been linked to terrorist acts.

The fact that former terrorists, or those accused of terrorism, are returning to their pasts is not too shocking. What is shocking is the terms on which these detainees were released. Apparently the detainees signed pledges that they would renounce violence and were then given their freedom. Of course some of those who were released were kept under surveillance, but many apparently slipped through the cracks.

I for one am more than willing to stand up for the intelligence community when it comes to fending off terrorism. We live in a very unpredictable world and the vermin that prey on innocent people are especially difficult to find. But let’s be honest-—do we really think having someone sign a pledge is going to stave off violence in the future? (I can’t believe they didn’t have them pinky swear as well!) No wonder people often consider military intelligence an oxymoron. I don’t think we can monitor everyone who is released from the facility, but is signing a pledge our best form of defense?

Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, the second in command of US troops in Afghanistan, said in a statement to the Associated Press that, “Its not going to be perfect, so it has not led to any soul-searching about the release program.” I wonder what would need to happen in order for the military to do some “soul searching” about the release program. The casual nature of Olson’s comments are disturbing to say the least. What if, after being released, one of the detainees was able to launch a massive terrorist attack against the citizens of the United States? Would some soul searching happen then?

I realize that the task before the intelligence and defense communities is an enormous one, and I applaud their efforts. But with events and comments like this I can understand the complaints that are lodged against them. Policies like having released detainees sign pledges and comments like those from Olson only open up the military and intelligence communities to criticism. I think it is time for some soul searching and I think the first place to start is Guantanamo Bay.