Force feeding in Guantanemo

[stadre]

This is interesting. We can feed these people through tubes to keep them alive, but it is fine to starve others by removing their feeding tubes. What a double standard!

articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060208235809990022&_ccc=5&cid=842

 

[Lillith]

It always amazes me when death row convicts are put on suicide watch.

 

[walstan]

Colonel Martin said force-feeding was carried out “in a humane and compassionate manner” and only when necessary to keep the prisoners alive. H e said in a statement that “a restraint system to aid detainee feeding” was being used but refused to answer questions about the restraint chairs.

That’s a new one. At least I now no longer feel sorry for French Geese being fattened up to produce Pate De foi Gras, it’s obviously done in a “Humane and compassionate manner”

 

[MikeWM]

Horrible As I’ve mentioned before, I was fed like this for a little while when in hospital - voluntarily. And it wasn’t exactly pleasant. Having it forced on you must be really awful.

Mike

 

[thestickman]

I think it’s great we’re doing all we can to prevent these people from starving themselves. I support it 100%.

 

[b_justb]

Wow this is really interesting …

Do we force feed the prisoners to keep them alive or let them starve because it’s their choice?

I can see both sides …

hummmmmmmmm my view may not be formed well. Maybe I’ll just keep reading what ya all have to say on it instead.

 

[Semper_Fi_1]

walstan:

That’s a new one. At least I now no longer feel sorry for French Geese being fattened up to produce Pate De foi Gras, it’s obviously done in a “Humane and compassionate manner”

Yup, and we should just let terrorists kill themselves before serving their prison sentences.

 

[gilliam]

I am sure we talked about this last year. This is old news

 

[MikeWM]

gilliam:

I am sure we talked about this last year. This is old news

Well, according to the article, the treatment has got worse in recent weeks. But yes, the fact of force-feeding has been going on for a while.

Mike

 

[stadre]

gilliam:

I am sure we talked about this last year. This is old news

Sorry, I wasn’t in on that conversation.

I just think that this precident could be useful in euthanasia cases. Our government has determined that these detainees should not be allowed to kill themselves via starvation. It seems that removing a feeding tube from a disabled person goes against this decision.

 

[Thekla]

"Citing military officials, the newspaper said that in recent weeks, guards have begun strapping recalcitrant detainees into restraint chairs, sometimes for hours a day, to feed them through tubes and prevent them from deliberately vomiting afterward. Detainees who refuse to eat have also been placed in isolation for extended periods in what the officials said was an effort to keep them from being encouraged by other hunger strikers, the report said.

The measures, said The Times, appear to have had drastic effects. The chief military spokesman at Guantanamo, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Martin, said the number of detainees on hunger strike had dropped to four from 84 at the end of December."

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usattac…lY wMlJVRPUCUl

It’s hard to explain how sick I think that we as a nation have become. These people are being detained by the US government without charges or, apparently, any rights. Hundreds have been released and never charged.

But to take human beings and strap them down and force feed them?

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

It’s hard to explain how sick I think that we as a nation have become. These people are being detained by the US government without charges or, apparently, any rights. Hundreds have been released and never charged.

That is right, hundreds have been released when it is determined they are no longer a threat to the US. Oh, and guess what? Many of them are recaptured after killing more US citizens.

We are at war. Normally prisoners of war are kept detained until the conflict is over without trial. Read the Geneva conventions.

But to take human beings and strap them down and force feed them?

So, your solution is to sit by and watch them die or ruin their health? And that is somehow less sick?

 

[thestickman]

"Citing military officials, the newspaper said that in recent weeks, guards have begun strapping recalcitrant detainees into restraint chairs, sometimes for hours a day, to feed them through tubes and prevent them from deliberately vomiting afterward. Detainees who refuse to eat have also been placed in isolation for extended periods in what the officials said was an effort to keep them from being encouraged by other hunger strikers, the report said.

The measures, said The Times, appear to have had drastic effects. The chief military spokesman at Guantanamo, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Martin, said the number of detainees on hunger strike had dropped to four from 84 at the end of December."

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usattac…lY wMlJVRPUCUl

It’s hard to explain how sick I think that we as a nation have become. These people are being detained by the US government without charges or, apparently, any rights. Hundreds have been released and never charged.

But to take human beings and strap them down and force feed them?

Yeah, to think we’re strapping them down, putting nourishment they need into their bodies to keep them from starving to death–how evil eh?

I guess we could let them die and then the American left can complain about that. IMO, it’s sick and disordered to think strapping these people down to feed them so they will stay alive is a bad thing.

Next the leftists and liberals will start complaining because we didn’t allow these killers to just run free to kill again another day.

 

[Thekla]

thestickman:

Yeah, to think we’re strapping them down, putting nourishment they need into their bodies to keep them from starving to death–how evil eh?

Yes, evil is the right word for it. When you are held without charges, strapped down, and force fed through your stomach, I’ll still consider it evil.

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

Yes, evil is the right word for it. When you are held without charges, strapped down, and force fed through your stomach, I’ll still consider it evil.

For some reason I thought you were a nurse. Have you ever been in an emergency room and seen patients who were trying to harm themselves strapped down and forced to undergo medical care? Pretty much the same thing. The alternative is to let them die.

We must realize they are trying to get released when they shouldn’t be released because they are still a threat. So their alternatives are to spit, throw bodily fluids at the guards (which they do on a regular basis), lash out at the guards (which they also do on a regular basis) and some of them go on hunger strikes (actually, from what I hear they take turns doing this).

Again, according to the Geneva conventions (which they have not signed, or are really under the protection of), prisoners of war are held until the conflict is over.

 

[thestickman]

Thekla:

Yes, evil is the right word for it. When you are held without charges, strapped down, and force fed through your stomach, I’ll still consider it evil.

Good thing that’s not exactly what’s happening then, isn’t it. These people are chosing to starve. Thankfully we’re denying them the abilit to kill others and themselves.

Sorry you think thats a bad thing.

 

[Proverbs4me]

"Citing military officials, the newspaper said that in recent weeks, guards have begun strapping recalcitrant detainees into restraint chairs, sometimes for hours a day, to feed them through tubes and prevent them from deliberately vomiting afterward. Detainees who refuse to eat have also been placed in isolation for extended periods in what the officials said was an effort to keep them from being encouraged by other hunger strikers, the report said.

The measures, said The Times, appear to have had drastic effects. The chief military spokesman at Guantanamo, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Martin, said the number of detainees on hunger strike had dropped to four from 84 at the end of December."

news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usattac…lY wMlJVRPUCUl

It’s hard to explain how sick I think that we as a nation have become. These people are being detained by the US government without charges or, apparently, any rights. Hundreds have been released and never charged.

But to take human beings and strap them down and force feed them?

sick nation, boy are you wrong

 

[Thekla]

gilliam:

That is right, hundreds have been released when it is determined they are no longer a threat to the US. Oh, and guess what? Many of them are recaptured after killing more US citizens.

We are at war. Normally prisoners of war are kept detained until the conflict is over without trial. Read the Geneva conventions.

So, your solution is to sit by and watch them die or ruin their health? And that is somehow less sick?

I don’t think that I’m the one that needs to read the Geneva Convention. If people have committed crimes against the United States, then charge them. But to abuse people for a time and then to let them go on the basis that they are “no longer” a threat to the US?

But we have destroyed our credibility worldwide on the issue of human rights and have gone against our own best judgment. In the last 5 years, we have invaded a nation under false pretenses, engaged in the torture and abuse of both terrorists and innocents, held American citizens without lawyers and charges, and are now force feeding human beings who have not been convicted of any crimes.

We are at war in Iraq and we should be at war with al Qaeda. But a war on terror? Our government uses it to create crises rather than solve problems. I find these actions sick.

 

[thestickman]

Thekla:

But to abuse people for a time

We haven’t been abusing people. I’m starting to wonder if you’re really so uniformed or if you’re being untruthful by choice.

and then to let them go on the basis that they are “no longer” a threat to the US?

This is common in war time. Nothing new here.

But we have destroyed our credibility worldwide on the issue of human rights

Another invaldid declaration.

and have gone against our own best judgment.

Hmmm this is another invalid assertion.

In the last 5 years, we have invaded a nation under false pretenses,

Error of fact. I suggest you read the Congression Resolution giving President Bush the authority to remove Saddam from power. From this point forward, if you make such a statement in the future I am going to assume, in the face of incontravertible evidence you have no respect for truth.

engaged in the torture and abuse of both terrorists and innocents,

Error of fact. A few individuals commited dispicable acts but not as a matter of policy. They’ve also been held responsible for their actions.

held American citizens without lawyers and charges

For very good reason, in fact.

and are now force feeding human beings who have not been convicted of any crimes.

So you’d rather we let them starve to death?

We are at war in Iraq and we should be at war with al Qaeda.

In addition to your fallacious argument–you seem to be unware of Al-Qeada in Iraq as well. We’ve been killing them to the point they are pleading for a truce.

But a war on terror? Our government uses it to create crises rather than solve problems.

Another invalid assertion.

I find these actions sick.

Considering all the factual distortions, half-truths and out right errors of fact in this post, I’m not surprised at all.

IMO, only those who cling to disordered thinking feel we shouldn’t be forcing nourishment into these prisoners to keep them from harming themselves.

 

[gilliam]

Thekla:

I don’t think that I’m the one that needs to read the Geneva Convention. If people have committed crimes against the United States, then charge them. .

Re-read the convention. Even if they were uniformed soldiers they would not be charged in a court of law. Instead they are held. Just like in Guantanemo.

I’m sorry you don’t like it, but that is the way in war. You have prisoners and you keep them separated from the combatants until the conflict is over.