Truly, to watch the news at the moment you need nothing so much as a shovel. If you’ve heard the words ‘Geneva Convention’ mentioned in a bulletin then you should know exactly what I mean.
The articles of the various Geneva Conventions cover the ethical and humanitarian treatment of POWs and others. It seems fairly evident that the recent tv footage of captured US troops in Iraq is a “material breach” (to use an overstated phrase) of its terms. However I find it a little sickening that Donald Rumsfeld et al are so quick to issue damning statements. A quick look into the past seems to make a mockery of these statements – a little hypocritical perhaps? Of course, as we know, the detainees at camp x-ray aren’t being classified as POWs. Which is perhaps fair. However, if they aren’t prisoners of war, then surely they must be criminals – and therefore are protected by the rights afforded to other criminals? Which is it?
Meanwhile, to borrow a phrase, already we seem set to reap the whirlwind. Turkey, against coalition requests, have sent troops over the border into northern Iraq. The important question is why shouldn’t they? The “international community” is against it, but…
Or should that say “Rant hypocrisy”