Stretching The Case For Inhumanity

 


Washington Times 
February 6, 2002 
Pg. 15

  
Stretching The Case For Inhumanity

  
Terrorist thugs at Gitmo don't deserve their treatment

  
By Vito Fossella

  Having had the opportunity to tour Camp X-Ray last week, I offer 
America's critics a simple piece of advice: Get a life.

  The chronic complainers are outraged by, of all things, the 
treatment of the captured Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists being 
detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They have absurdly criticized 
as "inhumane" the decision to temporarily place prison suits, 
handcuffs and blindfolds on the terrorists during transfer to 
protect the military personnel guarding them. They have even 
demanded upgraded accommodations, seemingly forgetting that 
these are the leaders of a worldwide terrorist organization who 
have repeatedly vowed to kill innocent Americans through war or 
terror.

  Far from being treated inhumanely, the al Qaeda and the Taliban 
terrorists are better fed, better clothed and better cared for 
than they would be if they were still roaming the cold caves of 
Afghanistan. They eat three nutritious meals a day, including 
halal, cereal and granola bars. They enjoy their own large cell, 
talking freely with one another, worshiping with a prayer 
leader, and writing home.

  Indeed, the evil-doers at Camp X-Ray are getting far better 
treatment than they deserve - hot showers, a warm Caribbean 
climate and access to the exact same medical care as the 
military personnel who live on the base. It seems our critics 
would prefer that the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists instead 
stay at the Ritz-Carlton.

  By way of contrast, the men and women of our military who have 
the extremely dangerous job of guarding these thugs live in 
12-person tents, take cold showers using a hose, and often must 
cope without the benefits of electricity. They have been away 
from home for months, and they serve our nation with dignity and 
honor.

  As I toured Camp X-Ray, I stared into the faces of evil. As I 
stood just feet away from barbarians who only weeks earlier 
fired machine guns at American troops, incited bloody prison 
riots and ambushes and, boasted of plans to kill innocent 
people, I could not help but feel the grief and anguish of those 
who lost loved ones on September 11 or during the war in 
Afghanistan. I have no doubt that, if given the opportunity, any 
of the detainees would have relished the chance to kill me. 
Indeed, since their arrival at Camp-X-Ray, some of the 
terrorists have openly threatened the Marines who guard them and 
talk anxiously about returning home soon to continue terrorizing 
the American people.

  There is a greater purpose behind Camp X-Ray than merely 
detaining these violent enemies of the United States. At 
Guantanamo Bay, federal officials are conducting extensive 
interviews with the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists, culling 
information on the terrorist network and the whereabouts and 
future plans of the tens of thousands of terrorists who were 
trained in the same camps and who are now living around the 
world.

  Already, intelligence gathered from other al Qaeda detainees has 
uncovered potential plots to attack American embassies, nuclear 
power plants and public water facilities. In the caves and 
hideouts of al Qaeda operatives, we have found instruction books 
on how to build chemical and biological weapons, detailed maps 
of American cities and descriptions of landmarks. The type of 
work that is occurring at Camp X-Ray may prove critical to 
preventing a new attack.

  President Bush and America deserve appreciation from all corners 
of the globe for leading the world in the war against terrorism 
and for making every nation safer.

  America's treatment of the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists at 
Camp X-Ray is appropriate and, in my opinion, too good for these 
murderous thugs. Instead of lecturing the United States, our 
critics may better spend their time reminding others that if 
terrorists don't want to be detained at Camp X-Ray, they should 
join the civilized world.

  Rep. Vito Fossella represents the 13th Congressional District of 
New York, including Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn.