Dr. Keith: The Truth of the Guantanamo Tape
The videotape of Omar Khadr, then 16-years-old and being interrogated at Guantanamo, is difficult to watch. Who among us with a heart, certainly any of us with a child, could help feeling badly for Khadr? That is a tribute to our capacity as human beings and as Americans to care for others, especially given the facts that Khadr is now 21 and about to stand trial for murdering one U.S. serviceman and blinding another.
The tape, however, reveals more than Khadr’s desperation and more than our capacity for empathy. It also reveals facts that should be reassuring to Americans, even amidst complex and pressing questions about how we should detain and how we should treat prisoners in a time of war.
Khadr was not physically abused in the tape. He was not threatened with death. He was not made to endure uncertainty about whether America will seek retribution on his family. He was clothed. He was told honestly that his questioners could not trade his cooperation for his freedom.
Khadr was not hallucinating. He inflicted no harm upon himself. He did not plead for his life or beg for food or for the beatings to stop. Perhaps most revealing, he did not seem afraid of his interviewers, and seemingly had the capacity to withhold from them the information they seek. Instead, he pleaded for medical help—when he had already been successfully treated for nearly lethal wounds sustained in combat.
Khadr’s lawyer reportedly stated that his client was psychologically abused at Guantanamo by being deprived of sleep and moved from cell to cell every three hours for weeks. If he presents evidence to that effect in court, along with other evidence about Khadr’s detention, we will know more about the stress his client endured.
This Guantanamo tape itself isn’t, however, the smoking gun many portray it to be. While it makes us—as fathers and mothers and as Americans—feel for the young man accused of murder, it doesn’t prove that he was tortured. What it does prove is that the war has been terribly painful, that it has brought suffering to millions of families and that we Americans have not lost our capacity for empathy in a time of war—even for our enemies.
Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatry correspondent for FOX News Channel and a New York Times bestselling author. His newest book, “Living the Truth: Transform Your Life through the Power of Insight and Honesty” has launched a new self-help movement. Check out Dr. Ablow’s website at livingthetruth.com.
Tags: Afghanistan, al-Qaida financier, American, Federal Court judge, Geneva Conventions, Guantanomo, Omar Khadr, Richard Mosley, serviceman, tape, trial, U.S. Military
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I’m sorry that this 16 year old at the time made the decision to kill and mame American service men. To say that this person has been tortured in any way is ludicris. There is no universally accepted definition of torture, especially when it comes to psychological “persuasion”. As an American, if any of these creeps has any information that keeps Americans alive, I don’t care how they extract it. Whats seems tragic to me is Americans identifying and sympathizing with the detainee/prisoner and not the dead and mamed service members who died protecting our beloved nation from this prisoner and others like him that simply want to kill us because we’re Americans.
The news media always forgets the crimes of these “poor” terrorists. This teenager killed a US soldier. His life should now be forfeit. What about the terrible anguish of the soldiers family? What about the US soldier he blinded? Rights? He deserves death, and the quicker the better. I am so disgusted with the sympathy for killers, terrorists and other scum that hurt society. Why do the feelings of creeps weigh more than decent hard working US soldiers? Being soft on hardened killers is a sure way to weaken your country. Just look at the wonderful example of Mexico. Multiple shootings of police, military, and civilians, and Mexico will not kill these hardened killers.
That is one reason Mexico is suffering so much violence. Once you have murdered your life is now forfeit and you no longer are deserving of ANY rights. Execute him and be done with it.
I am with Dr. Keith. As a matter of fact, I think Khadr should be freed and adopted by Dr. Keith. With such a big heart, I am sure that Dr. Keith would welcome a trained KILLER into his family and house.
What is not mentioned in this article is that Khadr is been interrogated by CSIS officers (Canadian Intelligence Service). That is why he appears to be unafraid. He was also shot twice in the back, bullets exiting from his chest. Was he attacking in reverse? It’s nice to see all of the self-righteous Nazi’s writing in though. Execution before trial? Interesting.
Have we become like our enemy?
Either try him or release him.
Thank you Richard Harris and Bob in Texas. This is ridiculous to think that people would rather sympathize with the murderer, and not make him pay for his crime rather than sympathize with the families of the dead soldier and the blind soldier. Of course that doesn’t mean we should not forgive the kid, even if he is not sorry. To forgive is divine. However, just becuase you forgive someone does not mean that they don’t have to suffer the consequences of their actions. Even if he felt sorry, he should still get the consequences. Depriving someone of sleep is hardly torture. How about depriving a man of his sight for the rest of his life, and depriving another family of their son, husband, brother, friend, forever? When will we start to give our soldiers the respect they deserve? Just as a side note, I think our military should be some of the highest paid people in America, along with police and firefighters. They are doing jobs that most of us would never even dream of doing, and they are keeping us safe from harm while doing it. What is the price you would pay someone to keep you and your family safe?
Let the guy go and see what happens. We are working to free and stabalize the whole region if even one person is going to disrupt that for ANY reason they should be killed. ESP. if they caused the injuries and deaths to the people liberating them. yea he was 16, but who cares he acted as an adult, if he was mature enough to make those choices we should be mature enough to hang him in a town square.
What a baby! If he didn’t want to get hurt he should have stayed home with mama. This tape shows nothing except he was crying and wanted to go home! He chose to join the militants/terrorists/extremists – if he was forced at all to do this it was by the people he was with, NOT the US! I feel nothing but contempt for him and hope he stays in Gitmo forever. He is an enemy of the US and if let loose to return home he will join up with the terrorists again and commit more crimes and atrocities against Americans and our allies. Too bad he didn’t succomb in the battle – then we wouldn’t be paying to feed him and provide housing, medical care and anything else he wants. Treat them like prisoners and the way they treat others! No pity from me that’s for sure.
We do not try enemies. We hold them prisoner during the war. The War on Terrorism may take until this kid is a senior citizen. He killed a soldier. He should die. He cried to his mommy. Too bad. You want to see torture? Check out his side beheading people like Nick Berg on video. It is easy to find and it is disgusting. That is our enemy. To defeat them we need to use serious methods and extreme force.
Its typical of the left to resort to name calling, (“Self-righteous Nazi’s”) when their opinions are in the minority. It’s also clear that some here have never been in a fire fight, (“attcking in reverse”).
Revenge and bloodlust are making many people blind to justice. This kid did not have a trial. I repeat, “THIS KID DID NOT HAVE A TRIAL!!!!” He was 15 years old at the time. His father was killed in the battle. Perhaps his father brought him there against his will. Do we know what really happened? But let us all quickly grab our torches and pitchforks and kill the beast. You are all insane.
“Khadr’s lawyer reportedly stated that his client was psychologically abused at Guantanamo by being deprived of sleep and moved from cell to cell every three hours for weeks. If he presents evidence to that effect in court, along with other evidence about Khadr’s detention, we will know more about the stress his client endured.”
The evidence sought in the above comment has already been presented in court and is publicly available at page 9 of 14, para. 6 at: http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/khadr.pdf
A judge of the Federal Court of Canada has already held that this treatment constituted a violation of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions. This conclusion is at paras. 85-89 of this decision: http://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/en/2008/2008fc807/2008fc807.html
Merciless people you are here all with such unhumane comments.
I do not feel an ounce of compassion for this kid. I do not give a flying crap if they were torturing him. I wouldn’t care if they dragged him out back and put a bullet in his head. My brother is fighting over there for our freedom against these terrorists. TERRORISTS? Did we forget what that is? If that little 16 year old shot my brother, I’d shoot his young ass right back and wouldn’t even blink. I’d smile.
Was this interview unlike other interviews recorded of juveniles in detention? That a teenager would cry or be upset about being detained for any reason – anywhere – is not news. I’m sure that thousands of hours of distraught juveniles in detention in the US – or all over the world – could be aired. The tape provides no insight nor comfort to those who would portray the detention facility at Guantanamo as somehow more oppressive than those in detention in US or European jails.
Rex, your comment is naive, absurd, and insulting. The thug threw a grenade and tried to run for cover – hence the entry point of the bullets. While Canadians may have interrogated him it was AMERICAN doctors that saved his life. Americans have clothed, fed, sheltered, and allowed him to service the needs of his religion. Is he incarcerated? Yes, that is what happens to murderers. Was he tortured? While people will continue to debate this, no physical evidence yet supports the claim. We only have his whining, and the support of America hating liberals like you to tell us so. Guess what? This is a war, NOT a police action. The REAL Nazis we captured during wartime were not allowed trials under the US constitution. Even the trials at Nuremburg did not commence until the majority of fighting subsided. PoW’s are held for the duration – period. Otherwise they turn right around and kill again – exactly as other released detainees have already done.
Easy for fools like you to say “end the war” or “release the poor tortured detainees”, without bothering to consider that the murderous thugs who started this whole thing have absolutely no desire to do so. Their goal is a global caliphate, jihad, death to the infidel. That means YOU, and the only ones protecting you are the people you disparage as “Nazis”. I hope you and the fool Obama are ready to live under sharia.
Bet the brat was having a ball when he killed the soldier, probably laughing all the while. He is lucky he wasn’t killed after he killed the soldier. I agree with pompey. Anyone who is a terrorist will ALWAYS be one. Let him loose after capture and he will kill you the first chance he gets. When will all the whiney Americans get a grip on reality! We are in a fight for our very existence, people, WAKE UP!
It is against International Law to hold a Child combatant (under 18 years)
But, what does the United States care about LAW!
You all commit and justify war crime, after war crime, and then wonder WHY people hate you!
Wow…
You are saying that you don’t see on video that Omar Khadr wasn being tortured. Then where is the video that proves that he was the man (15 year old boy, child) who threw the grenade at US soldiers? Where is that video? And besides physical torture there is a psychological torture that is even worth, and it is very difficult to prove it in many cases.
Thank you for a wise & truthful statement. And we should never forget who started this war in the first place.
A Buckeye View –
I’m sorry Dr. I have a very big heart and am a father, but I also have a brain. That brain tells me that any empathy or sympathy for people like Khadr is misplaced and frought with great peril.
What you are suggesting reminds me once again of the weakness of the West and the perception of that weakness by the likes of this young combatant. Such weakness only breeds contempt by those who oppose our value system and way of life.
Indeed, for decades our weakness over such sob stories have left us vulnerable to being used, abused, manipulated or killed. I’m not about to perpetuate these outcomes by extending my hand to someone who gladly would rip it off and destroy the body it was attached to if they had the opportunity.
5/16/2008 Appellate Exhibits 103 thru 112 New! Scroll to middle of page and you will find in detail just how bad the torture is. I really don’t see the differance between Abu Graib or Guantanamo at this point. As a matter of fact the same prison guards that were prosecuted in the Abu scandal were originally transfered from Bahran where Omar got his first taste of torture. Punishment yes…..torture no !! Otherwise we’re no better than the enemy.
You are absolutely right!! WE should make Americans more painful in order to make them understand the pain of other
Welcome Back Khadr…
I live in Toronto, not far from their homebase and Omar khadr and his entire family are self-admitted jihadists and full supporters of the Taliban, if not outright members. His father was killed while fighting American and Pakistani forces in Afghanistan, his older brother fought alongside the father and became a paraplegic doing same.
The mother is the worst of the bunch. In essence The entire Khadr family are enemies of the state and I find it shocking that they aren’t all (or at least the adults) in prison for treason, enablers of terrorism, whatever. So to believe Omar Khadr is an innocent teen who felt some lone passion for fighting the “infidel” in a distant land would be a wholly inaccurate point of view. He was raised a terrorist…
BUT…
He was a kid. The line has to be drawn somehwere, and for most of the world, you’re not fully responsible for your actions until you reach the age of adulthood, 18. Often it’s very difficult to take the moral high ground and to be better than your enemy; it’s much easier to exact biblical revenge on your enemies, without regard to the rule of law. When you live in a country that ignores or rewrites the rule of law, you become part of something less than civilized, and maybe more “fanatical” if I could use that word.