In a statement released today Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded that the United States hand over the prison at Bagram Air Base, including all of the detainees therein, within a month.
Karzai’s statement said US control of the prison and open-ended detention of Afghan citizens violated the Afghan Constitution as well as international covenants. He also cited reports of human rights abuse at the facility.
Bagram has become a growing human rights concern, both because of the treatment of the detainees and because it has become a legal black hole for detainees, with the US bringing captives into the country then claiming that they don’t have the same trivial legal protections as even those in Guantanamo since Bagram is in a foreign country.
NATO dismissed Karzai’s statement alleging abuse, saying any such claims should be addressed to them directly. The US did not indicate if they intend to comply with the demand, saying only that they are “committed to working with the Afghan government to complete a joint plan for transition of detention operations.”
Transferring Bagram and giving Karzai’s government the power to release detainees could conceivably give them some power, but the large number of detainees at what has become a de facto black-site is likely to make a quick transfer uncomfortable for the Obama Administration.
I bet every time Karzai comes out with one of his "demands", there's a transfer of funds from one account (in DC) to another account (numbered and in Switzerland).
Nah. Karzai and his merry band of thieves make enough money on ordinary corruption.
Why is the puppet issuing demands? Doesn't he know his place? Doesn't he realize that Emperor Obama is running his country?
When are these fractious nations going to accept the edicts of the Holy American Empire? When are they going to bow down and worship their conquerors, pay them tribute, grovel in an appropriate manner?
Of course, any similarity between the Holy American Empire and the Roman Empire of long ago is purely accidental. Those Romans knew a thing or two about creating empires. America thinks that bombing and killing and raping and plundering is all that is required.
The Mongols thought the same thing!
saying any such claims should be addressed to them directly. As if NATO needs it pointed out to them at all… Jeez, like really? Abuse in the Star Chamber? It also seems that the usual point of a public statement is that you already have addressed them directly.
The person making that statement was a PR rep from State. At what point does State get involved?
Yaaaaa, More of the same……… Afghanistan jus don't do the dance quite right…… Always some glitch…… History teaches they don't do vassal all that well….. That they submit to Allah, not man……….. It would seem that Karzai is a fool to demand anything, much less the detention of those who plant the bombs… So, is he a feckless puppet fool, or does he know something you and I don't know which enables or in some other way makes now the advantageous time to "demand" this change…??? Only time will answer ……
One report had it that most of the prisoners at Bagram and at least five other US run prisons in Afghanistan were just as innocent as all the men who were captured and wound up at Guantanamo. The Special Ops troops have grabbed up huge numbers in their midnight raids. It's almost like there is a numbers game as in Iraq when the US had almost 20,000 men in detention. It would be interesting to know how much money is involved in the detention of thousands and the contractors involved.
He has learnt from Iraqs experience, tell them no, tell them no, and eventually they will go!
What is the bet that in the end the Afghans like the Iraqis refuse to give US troops and Contractors amnesty from Crimes!