What would it mean if we declared Khadr a ‘child soldier’?
I am in the very small, prattish minority of people on the right who want Khadr to be returned to Canada. My argument is basically a sophist’s declaration that he is a ‘child soldier’.
There’s something I hadn’t thought of though – and it was brought up in the comments.
What would it mean if the Government of Canada declared that Khadr was a ‘child SOLDIER‘ and demanded his return to Canada?
It would mean that by extension, the other terrorists locked up in Guantanamo as ‘unlawful combatants’ could also be considered as ’soldiers’. If the US returned Khadr to Canada under these terms, then they would leave themselves open to legal maneuvers on behalf of the other imprisoned ’soldiers’ that could eventually result in their release.
I suppose some people think that is a desireable outcome – but you need to look at who is in Guantanamo. It’s conceivable that some of them are innocent, but many of them are dangerous monsters.
Case in point – Abdallah Al Ajmi:
Abdallah Saleh Ali Al Ajmi was a Kuwaiti citizen, who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.
On September 2, 2003 attorneys Thomas Wilner, Neil H. Koslowe, Kristine A. Huskey, and Heather Lamberg Kafele filed a Petition for writ of Certiorari on behalf of Al Ajmi and eleven other Guantanamo detainees.
In April 2008 [afte his release from Guantanamo] Al Ajmi was reported to have conducted a suicide attack in Iraq.
Al Ajmi is no soldier. He’s a brutal terrorist. If releasing Khadr means that another Al Ajmi could be sprung from Guantanamo, then maybe it’s worth considering this more carefully and letting the US legal system run its course.
This needs more thought…
[...] Afganistan who dodged grenade thrown by “the only one alive” – Khadr; What would it mean if we declared Khadr a ‘child soldier’? (in a society where you’re a man by puberty?) …. (p2bc, [...]
Steynian 201 « Free Mark Steyn!
July 17, 2008 at 9:31 pm