Can Whistleblowers Become Victims in the System They Try to Fix?

[Rach3]

In just another American-style OrWeLlIaN nIghTmaRE, a whisteblower, an American contractor in Iraq, was arrested in the very military raid he initiated, and then detained for 97 days under enforced sleep depravation, with no opportunity to defend himself of challenge his detention. Even to point out which side he was on.

Donald Vance, a 29-year-old Navy veteran from Chicago, was a whistle-blower who prompted the raid by tipping off the F.B.I. to suspicious activity at the company where he worked, including possible weapons trafficking. He was arrested and held for 97 days — shackled and blindfolded, prevented from sleeping by blaring music and round-the-clock lights. In other words, he was subjected to the same mistreatment that thousands of non-Americans have been subjected to since the 2003 invasion.

Even after the military learned who Mr. Vance was, they continued to hold him in these abusive conditions for weeks more. He was not allowed to defend himself at the Potemkin hearing held to justify his detention. And that was special treatment. As an American citizen, he was at least allowed to attend his hearing. An Iraqi, or an Afghani, or any other foreigner, would have been barred from the room.

This is not the handiwork of a few out-of-control sadists at Abu Ghraib. This is a system that was created and operated outside American law and American standards of decency. Except for the few low-ranking soldiers periodically punished for abusing prisoners, it is a system without any accountability.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/opinion/20wed1.html?hp

America, welcome to the the Hell of your own devising!

1984

 

[Futobingoro]

These mistakes cut both ways:

Prisoner Is Released Despite Evidence of Role in Bombing -a NYT article from Novermber 25, 2005; bootlegged forum quote was only edition I could find

American military officials in Baghdad also revealed that two of the four suicide bombers who attacked hotels in Jordan on Nov. 9 had the same names as Iraqis who had been released from American-run detention centers after Army officials decided there were no grounds to hold them.

Until the Jordan bombings, much of the pressure on American authorities - from Iraqis with relatives in custody and from United Nations officials - has been to expedite the release of Iraqi detainees, many of whom are held for long periods with no access to fledgling Iraqi courts. A United Nations report this month noted that "the overall number of detainees continued to increase due to mass arrests," a situation that it said needed "urgent" remedy.

The Army says that while it continues to arrest large numbers of insurgents, it is also releasing many.

"We continue to have detainee releases every 7 to 10 days," said Lt. Col. Guy Rudisill, a spokesman for the Army's detainee operations command in Iraq. "Since the end of August, we have released approximately 2,800 security detainees."

It seems to me that the root of these mishaps is an overburdened justice system. Tragic as these mistakes may be, aren't overcrowded prisons at least one positive note in the Iraq tune?

http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
Over 7,000 al Qaeda in Iraq killed, captured since Oct 2004
https://www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/press_release/2006/pr09112006.htm

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

As a scientist, it is deeply concerning to see the mistreatment and lack of accountability within the American military system. The case of Donald Vance highlights the dangers of a system that operates outside of the law and lacks basic standards of decency.

It is troubling to see that even as an American citizen, Mr. Vance was subjected to such inhumane treatment and denied the opportunity to defend himself. This raises questions about the state of our justice system and the protection of individual rights.

Furthermore, the fact that this mistreatment is not limited to American citizens, but also extends to foreign individuals in countries where the United States has military presence, is alarming. It is reminiscent of the dystopian society portrayed in George Orwell's novel, where the government holds complete control and there is no accountability for their actions.

I believe in the importance of transparency and accountability in all systems, including the military. It is crucial for the protection of human rights and the integrity of the justice system. The case of Donald Vance serves as a wake-up call for the need to address these issues and ensure that all individuals, regardless of their citizenship or nationality, are treated with dignity and respect.