Shane Bauer: Iranian Guards Cited Guantánamo, CIA Prisons to Justify Mistreatment

[Wei Wu Wei]

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/9/2..._bauer_iranian

"We do not believe that such human rights violations on the part of our government justify what has been done to us. Not for a moment. However, we do believe that these actions on the part of the U.S. provide an excuse for other governments, including the government of Iran, to act in kind."

It's very difficult for a nation which does whatever it wants to pretend to be the police of the world. There's a bit of irony in the fact that the US tries to dictate to the world who can and cannot have nuclear weapons, despite the fact thay we are the only nation in the world to ever use such weapons.

This same thing rings true here. Other countries and international groups detest America's justice system for it's own citizens, including prison conditions and corporeal punishment.

The picture looks even worse with regards to our actions overseas. People being detained without trial, suspending habeus corpus, using torture methods and letting our intelligence forces keep secret prisons around the world. When our own government acts like this, how are we able, with any sense of legitimacy, to dictate to others that they should be more humane in their actions.


As Shane Bauer says, after being detained in an Iranian prison for over 2 years, our government's actions do not justify what other countries do, but it does give them an excuse, setting by example.

[Novaheart]

I'd like to slap the SOB who paid the ransom for these "hikers".

Hillary should have told Iran to "do as you will" with them.

[noonwitch]

I'd like to slap the SOB who paid the ransom for these "hikers".

Hillary should have told Iran to "do as you will" with them.

I'm glad that they are home, despite their obvious stupidity. Who vacations on the Iran/Iraq border?

[Novaheart]

I'm glad that they are home, despite their obvious stupidity. Who vacations on the Iran/Iraq border?

Howard Zinn devotees would be my guess.

[Odysseus]

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/9/2..._bauer_iranian



It's very difficult for a nation which does whatever it wants to pretend to be the police of the world. There's a bit of irony in the fact that the US tries to dictate to the world who can and cannot have nuclear weapons, despite the fact thay we are the only nation in the world to ever use such weapons.

This same thing rings true here. Other countries and international groups detest America's justice system for it's own citizens, including prison conditions and corporeal punishment.

The picture looks even worse with regards to our actions overseas. People being detained without trial, suspending habeus corpus, using torture methods and letting our intelligence forces keep secret prisons around the world. When our own government acts like this, how are we able, with any sense of legitimacy, to dictate to others that they should be more humane in their actions.

As Shane Bauer says, after being detained in an Iranian prison for over 2 years, our government's actions do not justify what other countries do, but it does give them an excuse, setting by example.

Long before we had a detention facility in Guantanamo, the Iranians attacked our embassy (an act of war), held our diplomats hostage (ditto), provided aid in the form of training, arms and money to terrorists who targeted Americans throughout the world and also attacked apolitical Jewish groups (in Buenos Aires, for example). They have systematically destroyed every community of faith within their borders except for their own narrow Islamic cult, and eliminated every vestige of civil rights. In the Iran/Iraq War, they sent children to the front armed with plastic "keys to heaven" and had them act as human mine sweepers (a war crime). They have never needed an excuse to be monsters, but useful idiots are more than ready to provide one at the expense of their own nation. For you and Shane Bauer to equate them with the United States is grotesque and monstrous. He is a stupid, ignorant man who does not appreciate the liberties that he enjoys in America. Your echo of his sentiments demonstrates a degree of moral bankruptcy that defies comprehension.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Long before we had a detention facility in Guantanamo, the Iranians attacked our embassy (an act of war), held our diplomats hostage (ditto), provided aid in the form of training, arms and money to terrorists who targeted Americans throughout the world and also attacked apolitical Jewish groups. They have systematically destroyed every community of faith within their borders except for their own narrow Islamic cult, and eliminated every vestige of civil rights. In the Iran/Iraq War, they sent children to the front armed with plastic "keys to heaven" and had them act as human mine sweepers (a war crime). They have never needed an excuse to be monsters, but useful idiots are more than ready to provide one at the expense of their own nation. For you and Shane Bauer to equate them with the United States is grotesque and monstrous. He is a stupid, ignorant man who does not appreciate the liberties that he enjoys in America. Your echo of his sentiments demonstrates a degree of moral bankruptcy that defies comprehension.

I'm not justifying Iran's detestable actions, nor equating us with them, I'm simply highlighting a teaching of Jesus Christ:


"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
-Matthew 7:5


If we want to stand up for the rights of people around the world, and condemn the evil actions of other nations, we should be absolutely certain we do the same here first.

[Rockntractor]

The hikers should be whipped and made to pay back every dollar they cost this country and those that paid their ransom!

[Wei Wu Wei]

The hikers should be whipped and made to pay back every dollar they cost this country and those that paid their ransom!

hopefully they wont plan a trip to the border of North Korea

[Odysseus]

I'm not justifying Iran's detestable actions, nor equating us with them, I'm simply highlighting a teaching of Jesus Christ:

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
-Matthew 7:5

If we want to stand up for the rights of people around the world, and condemn the evil actions of other nations, we should be absolutely certain we do the same here first.

We do stand up for the rights of people here. As proof, note that despite your perpetual attacks against the United States, you have never had a midnight knock on the door, never been detained, never been questioned about your affiliations or otherwise inconvenienced. When you consider that I am an officer of the government, and that you have openly sided with our enemies in front of me, that is even more obvious proof. In fact, your snide attacks on the US and your lack of fear of reprisal are the greatest testament to our commitment to liberty and freedom that we could have. If America were the kind of dictatorship that you constantly pretend that we are, you'd never have the nerve to write what you do.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I'm glad that they are home, despite their obvious stupidity. Who vacations on the Iran/Iraq border?

That's why I never gave a rat's ass about them. Choices have consequences.