The War That Never Ends

I just read in The Guardian (aka The Paper That Kept Me Sane During the Bush Years) that Mustafa (Terry) Holdbrooks, a former Guantanamo Bay guard who converted to Islam, is being deported from the UK Sunday morning. (Actually, since it's Sunday in the UK, this is The Observer, but it's The Guardian's web site.)

Holdbrooks is a young man who currently lives here in the Phoenix area. I have been kind of keeping track of what he was doing, since he's a local guy, watching his YouTube videos, that sort of thing. He's currently writing a book about his experiences and you can read more in general about him at his web site. He got a lot of attention earlier this year when his story was published in Newsweek.

Holdbrooks was visiting the UK to speak at some events, one for Reprieve UK which supports the human rights of prisoners, as well as for Cageprisoners, which supports detainees of the "War on Terror," particularly those in Guantanamo. Unfortunately for him, the Cageprisoners event had already gotten on a lot of people's radar for the inclusion (by video from Yemen) of fiery preacher Anwar al-Awlaki. Cageprisoners has since been told they cannot have Awlaki speak at its dinner.

I should say that I have severe mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I think Awlaki is problematic at best because of some statements he's made. (There are some allegations out there that Awlaki's preachments have gotten young men killed as they went to Somalia to "fulfill jihad," but I don't know the truth of this. However, Awlaki also has said some pretty bitter stuff about his birth country. Thanks, guy. Really. Thanks so much, bigmouth.**) On the other hand, I think that bringing out the ban hammer is stupid because all Awlaki will likely do is tape his video, put it up on the Intertubes and it will get a much wider distribution than just a few hundred activists and supporters at a dinner. Government FAIL, in other words.

However, Holdbrooks was going to speak about his own experiences and I'm irritated that people are deprived from hearing this young man talk about what it was like to be a guard in Guantanamo Bay. As an American citizen, and as someone who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, I have ALWAYS been appalled at the inhumane, brutal and extrajudicial manner in which alleged "enemies" in the "War on Terror" have been treated. In the darkest days of 2003, I know I was one of the few people out there who quite vocally opposed the war, but it came anyway. Now we're reaping the whirlwind.

As I said, this is The War That Never Ends. Mustafa Holdbrooks is finding this out even now as I write this and I, as a citizen of the USA, am again distressed at the continued evil impact of wars that should NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

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**Sarcasm.