Guest moon Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 It's likely that some 'British' suspects will come before an American Military Tribunal in Guantanamo Bay before too long. We'll be swamped with news coverage so here's some background before it happens.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3046388.stmMy topic for a debate is 'In the context of the Guantanamo Bay trials do you think that the 'British' suspects should have the full diplomatic support of the UK government ?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nellie2 Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Well now.......... if you are going to go around blowing innocent people up then it doesn't matter what nationality you are........ you make your bed so you lie in it.As far as I am concerned these terrorists deserve everything that is chucked at them. However, America should get it's own house in order too.The American Bar Association and human rights groups point out that the US has, in the past, condemned other countries for using military tribunals.You cannot say one thing and then do another! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark2 Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Recently I saw something on MSN, 1,The accused may not even know what evidence is against them !!2, They cannot select their own defence counsel !!3, They may not even be allowed to attend their own trial !!4, No Jury !!Looks like a kangaroo court to me ! Will they get justice ? In a secret trial.The americans need to be open and above board with this especially after the WMD fiasco, Will anyone ever trust them again ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Pretty similar to how Saddam treated the people that he didnt like........Moral highground ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LB Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 we are supposed to be leaders of the free world and as such everybody is entitled to an open and honest trial, if this does not happen then as nations we are not above reproach.However, if these people are guilty as accused then I hope they get whatever they deserve. In terms of full diplomatic support of the UK, they should receive every support until they are found guilty at which time they should rot in hell!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Even in WWII against the Adolf (And what happened to the Jews) the US stuck to the Geneva convention, the whole point of Guantanamo Bay is that its outside US boundaries , and therefore the law is not applicable.What if US troops were held in the same way , in the full glare of the world press?Its just giving the fundamentalists evidence on a (free) plate to further their cause.. I think the US will be on dodgy ground when the lethal injections start......And Bin Ladens Butty boys will be rubbing their hands , Because all the US have are the gullible and the stupid, Their incarceration and execution will mean more to the real hard cases than their meaningless lives.....In the long term it will create more problems.....As to the UK citizens , .Their citizenship should be revoked and tough s*** if they have a fair trail and found guilty..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter e Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 What are you all talking about? These men (so called) are terrorists and they do not care who they hurt or kill. If they had the chance they would kill all of you and your families including children with a smile on their face. The world would be a better place without them. They do not deserve any support or even any sort of trial.Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Are they ?(Even the Gestapo had a trail)According to the US they are....I thought that Afghanistan was a country and the US invaded it ..Most of the 9/11 were Saudis ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter e Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Well, I don't suppose they were innocent bystanders caught up in events, Tankus. The Afghanistan people were under an oppressive government which openly assisted and supported terrorist organisations. As for the US invading that country - well, I'm all for "no tolerance" whether it's common criminals or rogue governments. Bring 'em all down before they do it to us - and they would (and do) given the opportunity. They are incapable of being reasoned with.Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 Where do you draw the line though Pete ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter e Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 I don't know where the line should be drawn, Tankus. I am (I think) a naturally caring person and try to help my fellow mortals whenever I can. I always thought of myself as a humanist and I was always prepared to try and understand and forgive knowing that I myself am far from perfect. But just lately I don't know what's happened to my code of humanity. I suppose I am just fed up with the wrongdoers in this world getting away with it. I don't understand why such a big fuss is made by the media and others over the rights of the renegades (as in this case) when I know of many ordinary honest and decent people who have problems and grievences (not of their own making) but cannot get the help they deserve from the powers-that be. I don't have any answers but I just feel that enough is enough - and to hell with wrongdoers everywhere. I guess I'm developing into a bitter and twisted old git. :blink: Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark2 Posted July 5, 2003 Report Share Posted July 5, 2003 I think they should be allowed a fair trial, which should be seen to be fair , If they are proved guilty they can rot, but if it's all done in secret will anyone ever be sure?Don't forget the americans are keen on justice, liberty etc. only when it suits their purpose?And Dubya says he went to war because God told him so. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest moon Posted July 6, 2003 Report Share Posted July 6, 2003 And Dubya says he went to war because God told him so. :oI didn't know that. I thought it was Colin Powell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 All those who say that these men ARE terrorists and deserve what is coming to them have completely missed the point. Once they are proved to be terrorists then obviously they do deserve all that they get. They should however be given a completely fair trial in order to prove or disprove their guilt first. We seem to have had more than our fair share lately of new DNA evidence not available many many years ago, now proving peoples innocence after they have been in jail for many years. So let us NOT assume that a person is automatically guilty until he has had a FAIR trial and found to be guilty BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT. How would any of you like to be arrested, whisked off to a foreign country, mistreated for months on end, face a kangaroo court, with no access to all the trappings of a fair defence, and then shot? WELL WOULD YOU? For heavens sake let's hand out justice and the severest possible penalties by all means, but let us prove them to be guilty first. The Americans in this instance are behaving no better than uncivilised animals. We are a more civilised country than America in many ways, and yet we have had many cases of false arrest in this country, thank goodness that at least a fair trial has to follow, and even then with all the safeguards we still get miscarriages of justice. No one is more hard line than me when it comes to making the punishment fit the crime, BUT FIRST PROVE THE CRIME IN A FAIR WAY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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