…but hold on. The story isn’t quite over. See, I don’t think it should surprise anyone that when a US Army officer investigates allegations of abuse at Guantanamo Bay he’ll conclude that there weren’t any. Sadly, I don’t think it should come as a surprise, either, how he came about that conclusion.
In an affidavit filed to the Pentagon’s inspector general, Cerveny – a member of a detainee’s legal defense team – said a group of more than five men who identified themselves as guards had recounted hitting prisoners. The conversation allegedly took place at a bar inside the base.
“The evidence did not support any of the allegations of mistreatment or harassment,” the Miami-based Southern Command, which oversees Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in southeastern Cuba, said in a statement.
Investigators conducted 20 interviews with “suspects and witnesses,” the Southern Command said. Bassett did not interview any detainees, said Jose Ruiz, a Miami-based command spokesman.
“He talked to all the parties he felt he needed to get information about the allegations that were made,” Ruiz said by telephone from Miami.
That’s right, his investigation consisted entirely of asking the abusers if they did it. And the “witnesses”? Well obviously they wouldn’t be the prisoners, now would they? So he asked other guards about it as well.
Imagine for a moment if a husband is out drinking with a friend and he talks about how he beats his wife all the time. Now that friend calls the police. The police then come to the house, ask the husband if he beats his wife, believes him when he says “no”, and then drive away no charges pressed. That’s what we’re looking at here.
This would be laughable if the situation weren’t so tragic.