Justice on American soil

The Associated Press analyzed some 5,000 pages of Guantanamo Bay transcripts. Sure, nearly every true criminal says he's innocent. Yet some of this is just odd. Saying an Afghan is a terrorist soldier because he has a gun is like clamping down on drunk driving in America by arresting everyone with a car. The AP's reporters talked to one attorney who saw some classified evidence in a case with particularly serious charges:

"It was underwhelming," Hunt said, adding that he is barred from discussing the evidence, even with his client, Pakistani millionaire Saifullah Paracha. Paracha is accused of laundering money for al-Qaida and plotting to smuggle explosives into the United States.

This passage jumped out at me:

What is clear from the transcripts is the frustration of detainees trying to defend themselves against often unsubstantiated accusations.

Mohammed Sharif, an Afghan, was accused of guarding a Taliban camp. He denied it — and urged the military tribunal to produce the classified evidence against him. An unidentified tribunal member seemed as mystified as Sharif.

"Q: You mentioned that if we had facts or proof against you, you would understand why you were a prisoner, is that correct?

"A: Yes.

"Q: What could you have possibly done, that we might discover some of those facts?

"A: That's my point. There are no facts ... This is ridiculous. I know for a fact there is no proof."

Contrary to Fidel Castro's claims, Gitmo is on United States soil. I am appalled that the processes in America are so competely screwed up that a trial judge has to ask a defendant what he did wrong. Neither one of them knows.

I'm told by our nation's leaders that America represents freedom, openness, democracy. I'm told that America's enemies hate us for that. Witness this passage from President George W. Bush in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks:

The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.

I'm not sure the outcome is certain, or the good guys are always good guys.