Detainees are given fair and speedy legal reviews..

For all you leftys out there that think we run gulags and torture chambers..

Published on July 11, 2005 By ShadowWar In War on Terror

Detained U. S. Citizen Released

WASHINGTON, July 10, 2005 – Coalition forces released Cyrus Kar, an Iranian-born U. S. citizen today, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced.
Kar, his Iranian companion and their taxi driver were detained by the Iraqi Army near Balad, Iraq, on May 17 following a search of their taxi. In the vehicle were 35 washing-machine timers, a common component used for the construction of improvised explosive devices.

IEDs have become the insurgents' weapon of choice, and since January, IEDs have killed or wounded over 40 members of the coalition forces and over 40 Iraqis in the vicinity where Kar was detained, noted officials.

After being detained by the Iraqi Army, the three men were transferred to coalition forces.

Kar was detained as an imperative security threat to Iraq under the authority of the U. N. Security Council Resolution 1546. After his initial questioning, the military notified the FBI, who initiated an investigation to determine if Kar had engaged in terrorist activities and could be classified as an enemy combatant.

Based on the FBI investigation, the testimony of Kar and the witness he called, and other witness statements, a Detainee Status Board determined Kar was not an enemy combatant and recommended his release, which was approved.

"This case highlights the effectiveness of our detainee review process," said Brig. Gen. Don Alston, coalition forces spokesman. "We followed well-established procedures, and Mr. Kar has now been properly released. "

Kar's cameraman was also released, while the driver of the taxi remains in coalition detention pending the results of investigations into his activities.

"This case has been resolved appropriately," said Alston. "We understand this has been difficult for Mr. Kar and his family, however, we owe the coalition forces, Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians a thorough investigation, especially when the circumstances relate to serious and potentially dangerous activity. "

Comments

Island Dog

on Jul 11, 2005

That's impossible. Liberals told me the U.S. runs gulags and do the same things Hitler did.

Furry Canary

on Jul 12, 2005

David Hicks, an Australian, was captured in Afghanistan on 9 December 2001, and subsequently imprisoned in Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay. He has remained there ever since (over three and a half years). He has not been charged.

Fair and speedy? Hmm. (Well, I guess that must make me a lefty!)

drmiler

on Jul 12, 2005

Again with the BS! If you guys are going to talk at least try to check things out BEFORE you open your mouth and cram your foot into it.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, David Hicks was in Afghanistan with the Taliban in the area of Kandahar. He may have played a role defending Kabul against the Northern Alliance. He was captured by Northern Alliance soldiers on December 9, 2001, and subsequently handed over to the United States. After being interrogated on US Navy warships, he was sent to Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay. The legality of his incarceration has been disputed as a contravention of responsibilities under the Geneva Convention. If he was fighting using guerilla tactics, these conventions may not apply, as the conventions main intent is to limit civilian casualties and ensure ability to surrender while fighting.

David Hicks was formally charged by a US military commission on August 26, 2004, with conspiracy to attack civilians, attempted murder, and aiding the enemy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial is set for January 10, 2005. He will be represented by Stephen Kenny, his family's lawyer, and Major Michael Mori, his US-Army appointed counsel.

Island Dog

on Jul 12, 2005

Again with the BS! If you guys are going to talk at least try to check things out BEFORE you open your mouth and cram your foot into it.

As usual they are proved wrong. Remember the DNC and the terrorists don't put facts in their talking points.

Politically Active

on Jul 12, 2005

First, what bothers me is that you base the whole concept of a speedy and fair trial on a singe case. Kar was given a speedy release (though I must confess I don't know the circumstances of his trial), but we know that many hundreds of others aren't (unless Amnesty International, the world's most repespected human rights organization, is lying).

Also, why do we pay such great attention to such relatively insignificant things? More than 100,000 Iraqis have died since the beginning of the war. After the loss of 3,000 in 9/11, the US became extremely angry, and for good reason. Would you not be extremely angry if another country invaded the US, overthrew our government and caused 1 in every 250 people to die (that would be about 1.1 million in the US)? Granted that ours is a democratic government (even if Bush is a brutal oppressor), and that the US probably can't be successfully invaded by any single nation or small coalition of nations, it's still important that we understand that Iraqis are suffering more now than they ever did under Sadaam Hussein's rule. Examples like this only show us that things aren't as bad as the worst-case scenario (where people don't get speedy trials), but they distract us from the fact that things are pretty damned shitty (pardon my language) over there. How the hell can anyone judge Iraqis who has never been in their shoes? I don't know, but Bush seems to have the answer.

When one American citizen is killed, the entire country goes into mourning, but 20-50 Iraqis get killed every single day by insurgent attacks. Just try, for a second, to imagine who rediculous the focus of this blog is, and wonder to yourself if any of this matters to an Iraqi mother who lost three children. Their suffering is unimaginable, but it's easier to imagine it if you try, and don't just ignore it.

Furry Canary

on Jul 12, 2005

'David Hicks was formally charged by a US military commission on August 26, 2004.'
I acknowledge my mistake; my source material was out-of-date. However, I do not retract my argument; Hicks was imprisoned for two and a half years without charge. 'Fair and speedy'? Now THAT'S what I call 'BS'.

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