Our soldiers in general perform admirably and faithfully, and we shouldn't let isolated examples of wrongdoing undermine our confidence in or support of the military as a whole. That said, there are extremely disturbing allegations of murder at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and substantial evidence that suggests a widespread cover-up effort by military leaders at Guantanamo Bay, as detailed in this in-depth piece by Harpers Magazine. A shorter summary of the Harpers article is here.
One of this nation's greatest virtues is its willingness to shine a light in dark places that make us uncomfortable, because we find that while the brightest lights may burn from time to time, they also illuminate the best path forward. A much brighter light needs to be shone on these allegations- not just to ensure justice will be done in this case, but to ensure it is done in future cases as well.
As one journalist put it:
Military lawyers are not only concerned about how the enemy will treat our troops. They are also concerned about how our troops will treat the enemy—and not just because that treatment might be morally offensive and/or strategically unwise. As one of my colleagues—himself a JAG officer—put it, the Geneva Conventions are so honored by military lawyers because they protect our own troops' humanity. The conventions prevent higher-ups from ordering subordinates to engage in repugnant acts, and they offer soldiers on the ground some basis for differentiating legal acts of killing and destruction from criminal acts of killing and destruction.
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