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Home Front: WoT
1,000 US 'war on terror' prisoners, says Pentagon
2006-07-12
One thousand people are currently being held in detention by the United States as part of its "war on terror," a legal adviser with the Department of Defense said on Tuesday. "I would say it's probably in the order of about 1,000," said Daniel Dell'Orto, principal deputy general counsel at the Department of Defense, in testimony before a congressional committee. Dell' Orto said the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba held some 450 prisoners, implying that 550 others were being held in other centers around the world run by the Central Intelligence Agency. He did not disclose where these prisoners were being held, or procedural details about their detention. A Council of Europe report published last month said that Romania and Poland probably sheltered clandestine detention centers run by the United States, although it acknowledged that it lacked formal proof for this. Both countries have denied running such centers on US behalf.
I've had the suspicion for some time now that Guantanamo is a lightning rod. Not being the New York Times, I haven't said anything. But I do know how to add and subtract, assuming my shoes are off for the bigger numbers.
Posted by:Fred

#10  "although it acknowledged that it lacked formal proof for this."

Erm! we made it all up to encourage controversy. look it was good for our domestica chances of being reelected, just chill you don't take this shit seriously do you?
Posted by: pihkalbadger   2006-07-12 21:27  

#9  What's the price of a .308 cartridge these days? A buck? Fiddy cents? C'mon, DOD, I'm in for a few dollars.

Can we get a check-off box on next year's 1040 to help fund this project?
Posted by: Parabellum   2006-07-12 17:40  

#8  I'll bet there aren't any prisoners of intelligence value at Gitmo

And you'd win. If you look at all the guys they've identified as being there, they're all low-level cannon fodder for the most part. Biggist guy ID'd was Binny's ex-driver.

The really big fish kind of disappear into a black hole. A few may be in Bagram in Afghanistan, but that appears to be only for those captured locally. Rumor has it there's a big holding tank on an "Indian ocean island that must not be named", but that's never mentioned officially. The press doesn't even seem to talk about it, they're too busy looking in Europe for secret camps. Guess the lunches are better there.
Posted by: Steve   2006-07-12 15:02  

#7  The problem is you are being rationale, using facts and logic.

Since when has the propagandists used either?
Posted by: Captain America   2006-07-12 11:11  

#6  I'll bet there aren't any prisoners of intelligence value at Gitmo. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Gitmo was designed from day 3 to be a PR sink for the LLLs. Better to give them a bone to chew on than have them running all over the neighborhood looking for one.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-07-12 11:05  

#5  The US needs to transfer prisoners of intelligence value from Gitmo to detention centers in terra incognita while the rest can fester at Gitmo until the LLL win their release.

PS Each attorney fighting for their release should be required to house these wacky/terrs for 30 days as part of their rehab.

Wonder how many takers.
Posted by: Rightwing   2006-07-12 10:32  

#4  It would make me happy to think that Gitmo is a lightning rod. It would mean that our war planners are using the NYT (etc) as predictable dupes.

It's a clever idea. Put a bunch of nobodies at gitmo, treat them well and let the press have a hissy fit over the fact that they don't have ac and prime rib every monday. They press looks foolish but is happy. The BDS sufferers get to shake their heads, moan and wail over it. Average Americans get annoyed and begin to wave off any talk of "torture". And the military gets to do what it needs to do without interferrence.

Let's hope they are doing the same with the leaks.
Posted by: 2b   2006-07-12 10:23  

#3  TW is right. I presume the 1000 doesnt include prisoners in Iraq, but it could include the prisoners at Bagram - isnt that a DoD facility? (the detention center i mean, not the airbase)
Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-07-12 10:13  

#2  Fooey. There are military detention centers in Iraq and Afghanistan. We know, because there was a group escape from one of them a bit ago.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-07-12 04:50  

#1  Prepare for the next volley of indignation.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-07-12 00:49  

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