More than 700 classified documents made available to The New York Times, and shared with NPR and UK’s The Guardian, chronicle the inner workings of the Guantánamo Bay prison since its creation in 2002 following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.Dubbed “The Guantánamo Files” by The New York Times, the documents were obtained by the whistleblower group WikiLeaks, though The Times received the documents from another source.
The documents provide insight into each of the prison’s 779 detainees since 2002. 600 of the 779 detainees have since been released or transferred. One hundred and seventy-two remain at the prison — most of whom are classified as “high risk.”Among the revelations are profiles of innocent prisoners — including children, elderly and mentally ill — who were detained and interrogated for years. The United States held some with dubious evidence; others in the hopes of extracting information.
The Guardian outlined the story of an 89-year-old Afghan man held at the prison over “suspicious phone numbers,” despite suffering from dementia.The White House denounced the leaks, as well as the The New York Times for publishing the information. White House spokesman John Carney said, “The release of classified information we condemn in the strongest possible terms, and we think it’s unfortunate that The New York Times and other news organizations have made the decision to publish numerous documents illegally.”
President Obama made it a goal, early in his presidency, to close the prison by 2010. However, political and logistical difficulties regarding trial and/or release of the remaining 172 detainees derailed the effort, with Obama resuming Guantánamo military trials in April. Despite the setback, the White House maintains its intention to close the prison eventually.The leaks come on the heels of controversy over the treatment of Bradley Manning, the 23-year-old intelligence analyst suspected of supplying classified documents to WikiLeaks.
Manning was recently transferred from maximum-security detention to medium-security. A Los Angeles Times editorial by Michael McHough suggested that media criticism over Manning’s treatment in custody played a part in the move. Manning had been confined to his cell for 23-hours a day while being denied sheets and exercise. He was also prohibited from sleeping between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., and forced to sit up or stand if he violated the rule.
President Obama firmly stated that Manning “broke the law” at an April 22 fundraiser in San Francisco. Interestingly, the person questioning the president over Manning’s treatment drew a comparison between Manning and Daniel Ellsberg, the leaker of the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War.
Though Obama denied the comparison, there is a similarity, especially in regard to the White House’s disappointment toward the New York Times for publishing the leaks. In response to the Pentagon Papers, however, the Supreme Court established the press’ right to publish classified documents.
Regardless, the continuation of the Guantánamo Bay prison and the treatment of Manning may feel like a stake in the heart for some of the President’s supporters, who hoped for a swift reversal of Bush-era detainment policy.
Mikey Rumore can be reached at mikeyangelorumore@gmail.com.
Those with no knowledge of how the military works should not write about it. Didn’t you guys learn from Chebet’s mistake?? Anyways, if you did your research you would find that Manning wasn’t treated any differently than any other prisoner in his position. He broke the law and the trust of the military, and should be held accountable. He knew what he was doing was wrong- let him have his 15 minutes of fame- and 15 years in prison.