Makeshift Taliban prison found in southern Afghanistan

[maddezmom]

Source: CNN

Makeshift Taliban prison found in southern AfghanistanBy the CNN Wire Staff
August 18, 2010 -- Updated 1019 GMT (1819 HKT)


Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Security forces in southern Afghanistan found 27 shackled Afghan men in a makeshift Taliban prison compound, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said on Wednesday.

The force said the men appeared to be tortured and were taken to a base for a medical screening and debriefing. Officials were trying to determine the men's identities, the force said.

Tips and intelligence led to the discovery of the compound on Tuesday near Musa Qaleh in Helmand province.

When troops approached the compound, insurgents fired on them, the force said.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/18/afghanistan.violence/#fbid=sC95XYs-YXc&wom=false

[Turborama]

1. It's going to be interesting to see how this one unfolds

Thanks for posting.

[dipsydoodle]

2. They've obviously been learning

from the CIA.

[Soylent Brice]

3. can't wait to see this being condemned in the news. how hypocrilicious it will be. n/t

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. The contents of the "debriefing"

You didn't hear it
You didn't see it.
You won't say nothing to no one
ever in your life.
You never heard it
Oh how absurd it
All seems without any proof.
You didn't hear it
You didn't see it
You never heard it not a word of it.
You won't say nothing to no one
Never tell a soul
What you know is the Truth.

-The Who - You Didn't Hear It (1921) (From Tommy)

[happyslug]

5. "Appeared to have been torture"????

The Taliban is running a make-shift operations, all the law of war requires is that their treat POWs to the same level of supplies, housing etc that their give to their own soldiers. i.e. if they soldiers are living in mud, it is perfectly legal for any POWs to live in mud. If the Taliban is living in sub=standard housing, POWs can live in same sub-standard housing.

Now, you can put guards and use other mechanism to contain the POWs, but only to contain them. Being a POW is NOT a crime, POWs are in Prison to prevent them from re-joining their side NOT to punish them for being a member of the opposition.

I bring this up, for the Prisoners may have been in a bad situation for that is the same housing the Taliban is in. If true, it may be bad, but NOT illegal under the Laws of War. Thus the bad overall situation may give someone the impression of abuse, but it is not. On the other hand, why waste a good opportunity to say the Taliban is using torture? Provided the "effective" torture leaves no marks (Water Boarding, electric shocks, rubber hoses etc). The key is looking into how they are acting, do they look like their have been through some serious mental strain? Good Clothes, full stomachs, warm housing etc can NOT hide that "look" but often people mistake someone looking bad as having been torture when all he or she needs is a full meal, new clothes and a warm place to sleep to recover. The later is NOT torture, just bad conditions but saying that they looked liked they have been torture sounds worse then saying they needed new cloths, a full meal and a good nights rest.