Gitmo Hunger Strikes

I’m not sure if you are aware of it because it has not been getting a lot of media attention (a good thing, by-the-way) but there are a number of the prisoners, enemy combatants, being held at the US Military Prison at Guantanamo Bay that have gone on hunger strikes.

 

I have been trying to remain quiet so I could wait to see how things develop.  Today, however, my well known and widely admired patience and self control has lost and I am going to make a few sage and wise comments (somebody get the “politically correct” police on speed dial).

A hunger strike is a potentially very powerful weapon for political prisoners. It is ugly, makes a definite political statement and is very hard to combat or control. Gandhi was a master of the technique and forced the British to make concessions on several occasions. The IRA used it very effectively against the British at a prison called the Maze in the not so distant past. It basically involves one or more prisoners refusing to eat and starving themselves to death in protest of some condition.

What are he prisoners at Gitmo (Guantanamo Bay) protesting? Being prisoners.

The normal way of dealing with a hunger strike is to force feed the people on strike. This is not very effective and has never really been used successfully.

The other day I read that the guards at Gitmo will be honoring the Muslim holy observances this month by not force feeding the prisoners during the day (force feeding will resume at sunset each day).

Wow, we are so incredibly considerate of their feelings. Especially since the reason they are prisoners is because they were killing or were involved in attempts to kill Americans -and since statistics show that almost all of them would return to that endeavor if released.

I have a suggestion. Force Feeding is not very effective and has never really been shown to work against a determined hunger strike. Let’s change tactics. Let’s sit back and say “Okay. If that’s what you want to do, do it.” Then we can put some medical people on standby to render aid to make them as comfortable as possible (starving to death is a very painful way to die, especially in the final stages). Why should we interfere with their religious convictions?

Just think, if we followed this course, President Obama’s problems regarding closing Gitmo would be solved. In a few months there wouldn’t be any more prisoners to house, feed, guard and put through a trial. All we need to do is –nothing. Just respect their religion and let them do what they think best, stop eating…..

See, another major problem solved. No, don't thank me, it's what I do....

 

Live Long and Prosper….