Our contributor Vasko Kohlmayer wrote an op—ed for the Baltimore Sun today criticizing the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. You might be a bit surprised by it, if you are now familiar with Vasko's other writings:

President Bush has asserted that many of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay are "cold—blooded killers." If this is truly so, then the president needs to explain why not a single one of them has been executed.

After all, this is what we routinely do with domestic killers. In fact, we execute them for far lesser crimes than those committed by many of the captured terrorists. It is not uncommon, for instance, to receive the death penalty for unpremeditated murder in robberies gone awry. [....]

Not only has our government defied the demands of justice, it has compounded its failing by pampering those who should have stood condemned. They have received nutritious meals, first—rate medical care, brand new Qurans, assorted religious paraphernalia and many other perks and privileges. In fact, our government has shown far greater zeal in securing the well—being of these accused foreign criminals than that of many of its own citizens.

Hat tip: Herb Meyer

Thomas Lifson   10 31 06