Ten Years Ago, I Saw The Real Guantanamo And It Changed My Life

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

By Joeseph Hickman

....When I first arrived at GTMO a few months prior to that evening, I had my doubts about whether GTMO was a humane place. I was appalled at the conditions of the camp and the treatment of the detainees. But somehow I always found a way to rationalize what I saw. The treatment of the detainees was harsh and their living conditions inhumane. They looked more like poor farmers than the “worst of the worst” terrorists in the world; but my country told me they were and I believed them.

On June 9, 2006, all of that changed. Three men died on my watch. I knew the three detainees did not die in their cells. I knew they were murdered outside of the camp at a top secret CIA facility that the U.S. denied existed. This was inexcusable. It was a war crime.

Even though going against the U.S. military’s official story of what happened that day would most assuredly end my military career, it was my duty as a soldier to report it. I went to the U.S. Army Inspector General and the Justice Department and reported what I witnessed. After I reported it to the Justice Department, they opened an official investigation and the FBI spent almost a year looking into my allegations.

They finally contacted my attorney and told him that while “the gist of what I reported was true,” they were closing the case, and were not going to pursue any charges against those involved....

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44847.htm

[tonyt53]

1. People question why Obama hasn't closed it, ignoring the fact the Congress won't let him

That place is a big 'ol black eye to the US.

[Agnosticsherbet]

2. Congress made it illegal to close it. Ignoring that is monumental ignorance.

Congress made it illegal to move prisoners to Maximum Security prisons in the US.

He did manage to transfer many prisoners out to foreign countries and the process of trying the rest is grinding with glacial slowness.

Congress passed the bills making it illegal with veto-proof majorities.

Now, if we had elected a Congress that gave a damn. But that is another discussion.

[gallova29]

3. Very informative article

The fact that this prison isn't closed is a huge black mark against our country. A real pity.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. Agreed...

...and welcome to DU Gallova.

[Judi Lynn]

5. This story should be widely read. One has to wonder how many others there are like this.

Living evidence we get lied to by people who really don't have the slightest interest in doing things humanely, morally.

Another welcome to D.U.

[midnight]

6. kick. Close this down and lets get everyone home.

[Solly Mack]

7. His book

http://books.simonandschuster.com/Murder-at-Camp-Delta/Joseph-Hickman/9781451650808

Interview
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/1/15/did_gitmo_suicides_cover_up_murder



K&R

and still no prosecutions for war crimes and America still pretending it was just all some crazy time best left forgotten.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

8. Thanks for the links Solly.

Hickman's final statement speaking with Amy Goodman:

AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you for being with us. Is there any last statement you would like to make, having written your book, Murder at Camp Delta, having served at Guantánamo, in light of what has taken place now in the world, Joseph Hickman, speaking to us from Green Bay?

JOSEPH HICKMAN: Well, I’d just like to say that I wrote this book so the truth could come out. And people will notice I dedicated it to Talal al-Zahrani. It is the father of one of the detainees, who has always questioned the U.S. government’s version of what happened that night. And I hope in some way this answers some questions and, in an odd way, gives him some peace, so he knows the truth.

[libodem]

9. .