Daivd Hicks-, Is it really fair?

[Dirty Harry]

I'd like to get your opinions on David Hicks, the accused Australian terrorist being held at Guantanamo Bay.

If you don't know, David is an accused terrorist who has been held at Guantanamo Bay Prison for five years without release and hasn't been charged with any crimes yet. Originally, Australians had been unconcerned with Hicks' plight, but recently, the public has made efforts to get him home.

In light of this, it seems, the Bush Administration has charged Hicks with providing material support to Terrorists that threaten the safety of America (ie. Al Quaida or however you spell it). Hicks is being trialed by a military commission in America and has been denied any civilian lawyers. In light of this information, he has pleaded guilty to the charges in the hopes that he may spend his sentence in Australia.

(for more information search up David Hicks at wikipedia)

I personally believed that this was a ridiculous fabrication about Hicks. My summary of events is a bit biased, so wikipedia would give you a better side of the story. But every single Australian politician in the Government has been asked to attempt to bring Hicks home, and all of them have dodged the questions, never giving a true answer and never saying outright that they believe Hicks is guilty or not guilty. The evidence that Hicks is a terrorist might be there, but the Bush Administration has had this information for five years, and they've left this man to rot, without even charging him despite all their information.

I just think its really wrong but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say.

[CrazygurlMadness]

Eh. They have the same problem with a few Canadians, I think. I'd rather not take a position on it, considering I don't know all facets of their decisions. The only thing that is certain is that it's extreme. Mostly, I think they should send the prisoners back to their home nation.

They would love the prisons here: prisoners are better treated than the homeless, with cable TV, internet, and all those other extras. I guess the only problem is that you get cabin fever.

That said, overreacting about terrorists is ineffective. No one's going to attack the same place again and again. It's stupid. The future targets aren't in the US. They're in the US' allied nations... which makes me wonder why we're defending ourselves against each other in the first place. We're allies, please! It's counterproductive.

[JediNate]

the United States actually has a policy. We take prisoners from other countries to help them. These prisoners sometimes do not get a fair trial because other countries do not have Habeas Corpus. They are given a trial where the evidence against them is not presented and they do not get a defendant.

As a result, they sit in OUR prisons. The countries usually send them to us because they won't ever give them a trial.


It's wrong, and the least we can do is give them a fair trial.

[Alantie]

Well, first off, I can't really judge since they haven't released information about this guy. I suppose they have their reasons for doing so, and since I tend to stay out of politics, I wouldn't really know.

It does seem awfully unfair, but I'm going with JediNate on what he's said. Here he can get a fair trial, and if he's found guilty or whatever, they might send him back to Australia to serve his jail sentance. Five years is kinda ridiculous, but legal stuff always takes a long time. I would start pushing for a speedy trial!! Seriously, five years without a trial is retarded. Don't know why their waiting so long. . . unless they've got a whole bunch of trials and just haven't gotten around to him yet.

Whether or not these charges against him are true, I think its better to be safe than sorry, as harsh as that might sound. If this man truly is involved with terrorists, then its not only for our protection in holding him, but also for other contries that might be targeted by them.

All in all, the military should just get moving, and get the trial going. I think its been long enough. Guh, I really hate political stuff. >_<