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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000058.txt from 2004/06

From: Nat Echols <echols@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Quotes and staples
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:01:01 -0400

> My understanding of the Geneva conventions is that they apply only to
> military members of an opposing state. Terrorists are terrorists. Partisans
> were shot on sight and these insurgents are not an organized militia
> representing a state enemy.

Correct, the conventions only apply to their signatories, and there are
rules for conduct of war that both parties must adhere to. However, the
administration has been attempting to weasel out of recognizing many other
legal rights of the accused (US laws, primarily, including the Constitution),
on the grounds that they just don't apply to our current situation. I
think this has led to the confusion - and it's certainly reason enough to
be worried about the treatment of military prisoners.

As an aside, many of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib weren't even insurgents -
they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and were all thrown
together. So they definitely were protected by the Conventions, since
they weren't even combatants.

Go rent the movie "Brazil" for a good overview of why this is a
frightening precedent.

On a reed-related note, do any bassonists have experience with wire gauges
other than 22? I've heard you can change the character of the reed by
using thinner or thicker wires in different places, but I never
investigated this very far.

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