Prisoners - War - Political Correctness...

[125gJoe]

sarcasm..

'Make sure we get it right... We wouldn't want to offend any 'be-headers' out there!'

:mad2:


Link: http://www.homestead.com/prosites-prs/koran_sop.pdf


" Care should be used so that the right hand is the primary one used to manipulate
any part of the Koran due to the cultural association with the left hand. Handle the Koran as if it
were a fragile piece of delicate art."

If you don't get the "left hand" reference, 'PM' me... And - "delicate art" -- the books are U.S. made and we paid for them.

.....

This subject is to show partly how our troops must bend over backwards not to offend --- while at war.... I don't get it, and I'm sure there's more going on I won't quite understand.

 

[SnakeIce]

water is a luxury in lots of places where the kuran is held in high esteem. Because of that, very little washing and batheing is done. Traditionally the left hand is used for wipeing yourself and other such "unclean" activities. To maintain a healthy population cirtain customs such as denigrating the left hand which is used for those other things is nessasary to ensure the health of the population.

That idea handed down from generations ago means there is a strong negative association conected to the use of the left hand especially to do anything that relates to worship.


The only thing we hold dear is freedom, to the point that we at times get indignant when, because of some other culture, we are asked to do something a cirtain way. I am free to do things any way I please is our attitude. Let us respect the fact that they hold something else as dearly as we hold our freedom.

The attacks on us are both a challenge and a accusation. It demands a responce. How we respond will answer that accusation as to wheather it is true or not. If we run roughshod over them they will be telling the truth. This war is to the fanatic proof of their acusation, but to the more gentle majority of the population how we handle ourselves when in contact with the things that have kept peace for them determines the attitude of the population as a whole.

No amount of force can convince the average person over there that we are decent people and that is the image of us that is lacking. treating things they hold dear with disrespect does not help the objective we are after.

 

[Leopardess]

Our US flag is not supposed to touch the ground. I would hope that some people respect that fact for us. And not everyone who values the Koran is a "beheader". There are people in this cournty - full american citizens - who also would ask that you show the same respect that you ask for the Bible. Some people are still respectful human beings even if they don't follow your system...we can be respectful back, I hope.

 

[slipknottin]

its not that we need to be politically correct, we dont, heck pretty much everyone outside of the us doesnt think we are.

But it makes sense to at least seem politically correct as far as the military is concerned. Offending their religion may cause more people to join up with Al Quida (iraq and/or afghanistan). However, not 'torturing' (pressure positions, hooding, etc are not really torture as far as the geneva convention is concerned) some of these prisoners may not give us the information we need to locate or prevent future attacks. So its a tough call to make either way. Ideally, we should be able to get information without offending. How we do that however, I do not know.

 

[125gJoe]

I guess the main issue is fanantics are taking this 'book' (artwork) - out of context, when it comes to "death to all infidels". And here we are delicately handing out our made in the USA 'book'. And maybe that vision is not out of context to the majority.....

No one sees any contradiction here?

Let's see, they are prisoners and we encourage them with the same hateful principals by giving them this 'item'..

........

 

[Leopardess]

An eye for an eye is no good way to assert your moral, spiritual, and ethical superiority, IMO. Remember turn your cheek?

 

[125gJoe]

An eye for an eye is no good way to assert your ... ...

I'm not asserting anything of "mine".. I don't have an appreciation for war prisoners. If "we" want to be humane, how about giving them another way to look at the world? How about explaining 'freedom' and women do have rights - and aren't second or even third class. How about some basic education, that maybe, just maybe they can take some of it with them wherever they may end up..? Let them know there are other ways to live, and that blowing up oneself for the "book" is not right.

 

[Holly9937]

I still have mixed feelings about all the detainee issues (I just did a research paper on the topic), but alot of the people being held have no charges against them, and many have been let free (some after years) because they were eventually found innocent. Therefore, disrespecting their religion, especially when they are innocent. And we are already going to great lengths at the detainee camps, (calls to prayer, signs so that they know which way to pray, mats for the purpose, etc.) so why would we draw the line at which hand to hold the Koran in?!??! The bible and many other religious texts can be read to say whatever the reader wants. The religion is not the problem.

Also, I think the Geneva convention does consider some of those things to be torture:


From Article 17 of the Geneva Conventions (still have my paper on hand!)

No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.

Then there is the issue that alot of those held are not being considered prisoners or wars, which basically means they still have to be treated very well, but we can hold them indefinately with no charge...

 

[Tyler718]

Also, I think the Geneva convention does consider some of those things to be torture:

From Article 17 of the Geneva Conventions (still have my paper on hand!)

No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.

In my opinion, It seems that we are the only ones that are supposed to follow this. In every war we have been in since WWII our troops have been tortured and what not when captured, that is to include the media and contractors in OIF/OEF. And far as I am concerned the way we handle their Koran is miniscule compared to what they have done to the people that have been captured in the Middle East since the war on terror started.

"T"

 

[slipknottin]

No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.

Heh. Holding them in a prison is in it of itself unpleasant and disadvantageous treatment.

US intelligence agencies designed our 'methods' to not directly violate the geneva conventions.

In my opinion, It seems that we are the only ones that are supposed to follow this. In every war we have been in since WWII our troops have been tortured and what not when captured, that is to include the media and contractors in OIF/OEF

Aint that the truth.