AMERICANS NEED TO VIEW OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS FROM TERRORISTS

The United States of America is involved in a very new form of war fighting.

We have recently been involved in fighting on 2 distinct battle zones, these being Iraq, and Afghanistan.

We have been fighting against traditional standing armies, these being the Army of the late Sadam Hussein, and the army of the now out of power Taliban government.

We have sent our military to engage two distinctly different enemies. Saddam Hussein was not friendly with the Taliban of Afghanistan, and they represented two distinctly different cultures, and two distinctly different versions of Islamic religious interpretation.

Secondary to our to our conventional military opponents of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and the Talibans Army, we have been engaged in fighting against many different groups of people whom our government has labeled "Terrorists". Our government has not publicized its definition of exactly what a "terrorist" is.

Mikes Vacation defines a "terrorist" as one man, or a group of men who attack non military affiliated civilians, or soldiers at peace, for the purpose of intimidating the countrymen of the victim into changing the way they think, vote, or behave. This same intimidation could also be directed at any non military affiliated civilians, or soldiers at peace in any country. The measurement tool to be met by a "terrorist" is that intimidation of a non-war fighter is his goal.

It is the view of Mikes Vacation that the military attack against the Taliban government of Afghanistan was legal, and warranted because they harbored persons/terrorists/al quaida/osama bin laden who were very likely guilty, if not absolutely guilty in the murder of those civilians in New York, and those passengers that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11.

It is also the view of Mikes Vacation that the military and civilian persons who died at the Pentagon were at a state of "peace" with Al Quaeda as Al Quaeda had not publicized a formal declaration of war against the United States government. The United States government had not published a formal declaration of war against Al Quaida at this time either. Therefore the Pentagon victims also were victims of "terrorism".

These same acts of "terrorism" against the victims involved in this case were "crimes against humanity" as they were savage murders of large civilian populations or soldiers at peace.

The question remains to be debated as to whether the acts of 9/11 could be labeled as "war crimes". War crimes are by definition crimes committed during a state of war. If it could be shown at some time that a "state of war" had been declared openly by either the United States or Al Quaida before the 9/11 attacks, then the non-military civilian deaths could be labeled as war crimes also. However, as I have stated, if the events of 9/11 were fairly war crimes, then they could not have been terrorist acts also.

Mikes Vacation does not believe that the events of 9/11 could be simultaneously war crimes, and acts of terrorism. Although it is obvious that these events constituted crimes against humanity due to the large civilian population that perished as a result of the same.

The United States government should not be held liable for a precision or perfect or humane attack upon the Taliban government of Afghanistan. The Taliban should of kept Osama Bin Laden and Al Quaida under control if they were going to provide them with shelter, or hospitality, or sanctuary. As Al Quaida was living in the house of the Taliban, the Taliban bears responsibility for their guests.

The attack upon Sadam Hussein and his government is another different matter. Hussein was never any friend of the Taliban, or Al Quaida, and while he is no innocent party, he was hardly culpable in the events of 9/11.

The U.S. attack and invasion of Iraq was a criminal and poorly construed idea, executed while an impotent and intellectually slovenly country did nothing as its military went into dubious history. Our attack against Iraq constituted a "war crime" because it was a military attack against a country at peace. It is debatable about whether Iraqi civilians that have died as a result could be clearly labeled as either victims of "war crimes" or victims of "crimes against humanity" . It is very likely that the U.S. military had taken reasonable steps to limit Iraqi civilian casualties to a minimum. However it will be up to history to decide of this minimum civillian death toll that was surely planned for as a result of our invasion should or could constitute "war crimes" . It is very unlikely that the U.S. government could be guilty of "crimes against humanity" in our criminal invasion of Iraq. The U.S. government to include George Bush does not promote or tolerate in any way the wanton mistreatment of what it believes to be "innocent civilians". There have been isolated cases of rogue U.S. soldiers committing "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity" against small numbers of Iraqi's , but these are isolated cases compared to the scope of the invaded area and the conditions of the U.S. troops and the civilian population.

Even some of our most infamous Abu Ghabi abuse cases used as their evidence the naked bodies of POW's. While I find the Abu Ghabi events criminal and disgraceful, it should be noted by the world body that very few pows can be displayed "naked " by their captors due to bruises, whip marks, broken bones and excessive injuries. Furthermore, while no American POW should ever desire Abu Ghabi style treatment themselves, most of our living pows would probably be eager to trade the treatment they have received themselves for the treatment received by American controlled POW's at Abu Ghabi.

That being said, if there were significant numbers of Iraqi nationals willing to act as "partisans" or "insurgents", then this indicates that a minimal level of loyalty to Saddam Hussein had existed prior to our invasion to negate the idea that this country was full of a dictators innocent victims needing to be liberated.

It is reasonable that multiple parties in Iraq should view American soldiers as criminal and heavy handed invaders. It is also reasonable that any puppet government installed and controlled by Washington be viewed with equal ire.

It is also reasonable to believe that many Iraqi's are not only tolerant of U.S. soldiers and influence, but grateful and loyal to the same.

The Average American should ask ourselves what we would do if Saddam Hussein were to invade our country. What would our response be to these invaders and anyone our hearts and minds labeled as their "collaborators".

Our government led by George Bush is so criminally culpable for the destruction of Iraq that they will never willingly come clean and openly discuss the facts and ideas you have read.

It is up to the people of America to open their minds and imagine the positions of many different persons living with in the borders of Iraq.

It would behoove us a a country to read the complaints against us by the "terrorists" and the "insurgents" our soldiers are fighting against.

If we the people of America were to agree that some of these groups have credible complaints, we could pressure our own government to remedy these issues.

If we the people of America were to find these same complaints groundless, trumped up or just plain wrong, we could validate and galvanize ourselves as a nation to more fruitfully support our governments efforts in Iraq.

It is not simply adequate for us to see horrific pictures of bombs exploding and to see the carnage and merely believe this is all the work of maniacal islamafascist terrorists.

As a country we need to collectively face the complaints of those who attack us.

Our current situation is that we are paying in our nations blood and money and reputation but none of us is sure what we are fighting for, or who we are fighting, or why we are being attacked by them, or vice versa.

Mikes Vacation recommends and supports a U.S. government sponsored and advertised web page to post the complaints and manifestos of those who attack us. As Americans we need to be proud of the political and intellectual positions our military is fighting and dying for, and the positions that are responsible for untold Iraqi deaths, or we need to change our positions and policies to those we as a nation can be proud of and understand.

I have posted a video that documents graphically the effects of bombs. It shows in ghastly technicolor images of those killed by explosions and violence.

The reader should decide for themselves which slides represent "terrorist" acts, and which slides represent legal and legitimate partisan actions.

It is the opinion of Mikes Vacation that ALL of the images you will see are of legitimate "terrorism". They are all of civilian casualties.

This particular video is anti- Islam, and anti Arab.

Mikes Vacation does not agree with the conclusions implied by this video. This video implies that Muslims and Arabs as a whole are murders and terrorists.

Mikes Vacation believes that Muslims and Arabs desire life and happiness the same as any other people on the earth, however, Mikes Vacation does recognize that a large number of "terrorist" acts are committed by persons of Arab descent, and of the Muslim faith.

Mikes Vacation certainly DOES NOT feel as though these "terrorists" represent the consciousness of the Arab and Muslim world.

The video hosted here is hosted for its technically clean graphics, and not applauded for its conclusions against the Arab and Muslim people of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE7BMNBWAJc&NR=1


This next video is also hosted on youtube.com and is a "documentary" article about the abuses at Abu Ghab prison. I am not posting this video because I am in agreement with the conclusions drawn in it. This video is decoration for the point of my essay. This video reminds the American public the extreme dishonesty and criminality that our current government has decided upon by its refusal to openly and completely disclose the names and coutries of origin of our POW's/ Detainee's/Kidnap Victims.

Mikes Vacation doesn't possess a crystal ball, and it is impossible for me to propose the guilt, innocence or even the potential military value of holding the persons we possess.

However, due to the proven dishonesty displayed thusfar by the U.S. government surrounding the entire Iraqi fiasco, it is the opinion of Mikes Vacation that they can be trusted only to serve their own best interests, not the best interst of America, and not the best interest of our military in theatre.

This video has certain implied conclusions camoflaged into it. These conclusions would be that the men in U.S. custody are innocent. That these same men are grossly mistreated and tortured. That the U.S. government has "tortured" its victims. All of these allegations may be true, but this video does not prove them. This video is a composite of shocking and revolting images cleverly narrated to lead the reader to form the aforementioned conclusions.

I am a Licensed Practical Nurse by trade. I am skilled at assessing the health and and illness of patients. I am skilled at inspecting wounds and sores and bruises. I am not Americas finest at these things, but I am certainly no novice.

I would like you to note the following things about these pictures. Firstly, I would like you to notice the large amount of body/belly fat present on several pictures. Starved men don't have belly fat.

Second I would like you to notice the men in positions to receive whippings or canings. Please notice no whip or cane marks on their flesh.

You will notice multiple nude photos. Please note the relative cleanliness of the men's skin.

You will notice many men wearing hoods. Please note the "newness" of these hoods. The newness implies these same hoods are not worn 24/7.

You will not several photos of a man covered in Feces. This condition is not de regeur for the rest of the prisoners. This leads a logical reader to believe the feces has been self applied. This is not unheard of for severly psychotic patients to do.

You will notice many men wearing ropes, handcuffs or other restraints about their hands. Please not the condition of their skin around these same cuffs. Please not the dogs in the photos used to scare the prisoners. However, there is no photographic evidence, or even rumor of a dog actually biting a prisoner. Even the dogs in the picture do not look to be taking an aggressive stance. In one photo the dogs face appears to be "smilling". The dog does not look to be taking a violent, threatening or aggressive postute. You will also not several photos of dogs standing in front of a hooded prisoner. This leads a logical party to believe that the guard holding the dog is in control of the dogs movements and the prisoner is in little actual danger of a dog bite.

You will see a clip of prisoners being forced to "masturbate" in the shower. I am not a controlled custody expert, but I am sure that most POW's are not going to be "emotionally scarred for life" from this experience. Unpleasant at the time proably, weird, definetly, evidence of a sick mind in charge-- oh yea, torture-- uh no.

As you watch this video, please compare the condition of the prisoners to the condition of our own POW's held by the Japanese in ww2, compare their condition to our POW's of the Vietnam era. Compare their conditions to the conditions of many, many POW's from relatively modern history.

America has shamed ourselves by our mistreatment of these same POW's. Our government has shamed itself by not properly seeing to their custody.

It is likely that many of the prisoners in our custody have been violently and roughly and harshly treated, proably some have received LEGITIMATE torture, and some have even accidenly died or been murdered/excecuted in this process.

However, attempt to seperate what you can extrapolate as truth from your knowledge of the facts, from what is presented in this video.

This video proves very little. If anything, this video is a testimony to the relative "good condition" of the bodies of the prisoners.

This video is not hosted here to prove torture. This video is hosted to illustrate the ingenuous nature of the Bush Regeime, and to inspire the American public to investigate the facts of our Iraqi adventure for themselves by reading what our "enemies" have to say.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ru0bxSqWMdo


Mike Miller
Indianapolis
2007