Gitmo foibles

Another report on former Guantanamo detainees being released and going "back" to terrorism. It says in the CNN url "gitmo.recidivism," but if they were released (by Bush), that would imply that there was not real evidence that they were ever guilty in the first place which would mean that it isn't so much recidivism as it is that Bush policies created (and then released) terrorists. Why is that only pointed out by bloggers (and Keith Olbermann)?

I'm a pretty lazes faire type of fellow, but if some other nation came here, arrested me, sent me to some prison in a different nation than either, where I was accused of things I hadn't done (and maybe even some I would have), possibly tortured, not given access to lawyers, or allowed to see friends, family, etc for years, then released because it turns out they had arrested me wrongly, I'd probably be a little miffed. I can't now imagine wanting to come home and blow them up or kill anyone, but I can neither imagine the feeling of helplessness and insignificance that one would feel when wrongly and illegally captured and held.

I am aware that in seeing people from the Middle East as actual real human beings with feelings and shit the crazy wing of the GOP will consider me as one who sympathizes with terrorists, but that's the damn problem. They see anyone who was captured and held, regardless of reality, as a terrorist. And if those people, upon release happen to engage in terrorism, regardless of the reality (which we won't actually ever know), they see themselves as vindicated for acting illegally in the first place. It doesn't matter that the illegal activities of Bush, Cheney and Co. could very well have created more terrorism than it prevented.

Yes, this is why Obama should also have released those photos. Trying to hide our mistakes makes people distrust and dislike us. IT HELPS CREATE TERRORISTS. They can say "See, the evil USA is not changing their ways and coming clean and righting the wrongs of the previous administration, but they are continuing to cover them up and probably continuing those very wrongs themselves because why else would they cover up and not punish those who committed those evil acts?"

We cannot lead by example when our example is crap.