LETTER TO THE EDTOR OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE UNION-LEADER


You state:

    "Some of President Bush’s opponents have urged a strict adherence to the
    Geneva Conventions (even as they say Bush should release all of the
    photos showing abuse at Abu Ghraib prison, which would violate the Third
    Geneva Convention). But following these international agreements to the
    letter would unnecessarily disadvantage the United States as it conducts
    a war against barbaric enemies."

    http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=37568


First, I am not at all certain that releasing the photographs would be a
violation of the conventions in these circumstances. The identities of the
victims could be concealed, and these photographs are evidence of very serious
crimes in a situation where there is very substantial evidence that those crimes
were carried out with authorization at the highest levels, as well as
substantial evidence that the administration has been going to extreme lengths
to cover up the truth by the expedient of closed investigations that result in
blank denials -- which might very well have been the fate of the Taguba Report
if the pictures hadn't been leaked.

Second, whether you like them or not, the Geneva Conventions are the LAW of the
United States, and they are LAW which applies specifically to WAR. Serious
violations of the Geneva Conventions, such as the torture at Abu Ghraib and the
inhumane treatment at Guantanamo Bay are also criminal violations of 18 USC
2441, the war crimes act of 1996. Note that no modification of the Geneva
Conventions is possible as long as the hostilities continue.

And I don't care how disadvantageous you think it is to obey the law, thinking
it's a good idea for the government to violate the our laws just because they
think it's a good idea isn't only un-American, it's just plain STUPID.

Do you suppose criminals commit crimes because they think it's disadvantageous??
Is violating your own laws what separates you from a barbarian??


Charles Gittings
Oakland, California

cbgittings@sbcglobal.net

+1-510-923-1688

Project to Enforce the Geneva Conventions (PEGC)
http://PEGC.no-ip.info/

PEGC Update
http://PEGC.no-ip.info/PEGC_Update.html