“I have sent a few of Andy’s articles about Guantanamo, and I find his views to be some of the most in depth and balanced assessments.

“Just to reiterate: The United States government is detaining people without due process , torturing many of them, and doing so publicly in full knowledge of all American citizens and the world against every principle that we as a country stand for. Even the government admits a large percentage are INNOCENT OF ANY CRIME. What would your reaction be if this was a father, brother, son or close friend and nothing was done about it? Even with the Supreme Court decision, there is no outrage or attempt by Congress to redress this issue. The right wing shrill machine is demanding the impeachment of Justice Kennedy for an act of treason, because he was the swing vote that reinstituted habeas Corpus for these detainees.

“While many things the Administration has done in the last year, since I have been advocating for impeachment, have come to pass, similar to what I have been warning against, it doesn’t seem to matter. My hope that the American people would take matters into their own hands has proven to be just a hope. The Democrats are willing to allow any travesty of justice without substantive opposition as long as they can wait out until the election. I wonder if we are apathetic enough to allow an attack on Iran?”

Thanks, Tony.

Hello.
Read your article on Counterpunch with interest.
A few issues arise here.
1. Ask yourself how angry you would be to be sent to a place like Guantánamo for no good reason, and might you have thoughts of getting your own back.
2. How much damage is done to people treated in the kind of inhuman way that appears to be common in Guantánamo? And how do damaged people react?
3. Guantánamo treatment methods seem to be a recipe for causing something like PTSD. Suicidal actions are hardly rare here.
Could it be that US actions increase the risk of terrorism??!! – I wonder (not really).

My reply:

I tried to tread a fine line in the article, knowing that it would arouse controversy anyway. See comments to this posting on the Huffington Post for examples: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-worthington/identification-of-ex-guan_b_101190.html
To answer your questions, I must, first of all, say that I’m impressed by how many released prisoners have relied upon their faith to rise above anger and vengeance (although it helps, of course, that so many had no connection with any kind of militancy in the first place!), but having said that I’m also aware that some were likely to be dangerously damaged and embittered by their experience, especially when returned to countries where they may not have been offered counselling by experts in the effects of torture (several such organizations work in the UK, for example).
So I’m sure you’re right that Guantánamo increases terrorism (both as an icon for anger and in terms of its personal effects on some of those incarcerated there), but for the sake of the 273 men still held – the majority of whom are not dangerous to the US (or were not when they were first incarcerated, at least) – I’ve been avoiding too much focus on that angle, for one simple reason: it will only encourage the administration and its right-wing cheerleaders to ignore the cause (themselves) and focus only on the effect.

And Dave’s reply:

The fact that few have tried to take revenge speaks volumes regarding their moral superiority to those who abused them.
Wishing for a just and equitable world, Dave Lowe, Canada (not holding my breath though).