Gitmo, really the lap of luxury

And the counterspin begins! Damning Time cover story and Newsweek vindication notwithstanding, Cheney says Gitmo’s here to stay, and why not? Apparently Gitmo is the place to be for indefinitely-detained prisoners everywhere – just ask Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), the Chairman of the House Armed Services committee, who’s got the menu to prove it. CNN had the mouth-watering live broadcast yesterday (Frank Bruni, take notes):

“Ths is the oven fried chicken entree – it has broccoli, it has peas and mushrooms, it has rice, it has pita bread, and it has two types of fruit.” (What kind of fruit, Duncan? God is in the details.)

and

“This is lemon chicken, rice, broccoli, carrots, bread and two types of fruit.” (Fruit? Hello?)

NB: This isn’t merely a “high point” on the menu; they eat like kings every day. The also have prayer rugs, Korans a-plenty (in 13 languages!), and guards who wear clean gloves before they touch the holy book. Which is all well and good but it doesn’t explain away the stuff of the recently-revealed interrogation log (sleep and bathroom deprivation, Christina Aguilera), now does it? And we’re still in the dark about that fruit.

UPDATE: It has been pointed out to me – fairly – that the people in Gitmo are, shall we say, there for a reason (let’s throw an “alleged” in there to be inserted in the sentence wherever you need it to be so that you won’t send me a vituperative email). Cheney says so too, reminding us that “The important thing here to understand is that the people that are at Guantanamo are bad people.” But here’s the thing, Dick (may I call you Dick?): what’s so great about the U.S. and countries like it is not only how they treat the ‘good’ people, but how they treat the ‘bad’ people, too: due process, human rights, and not sinking to their level just because you can. In theory. In theory.

Gitmo Inmates “Never Eaten Better,” “Never Been Treated Better,” “Never Been More Comfortable” [HuffPo]
CNN: Gitmo torture claims refuted with chicken dish [Crooks & Liars][video]
Related, obviously:
Inside The Interrogation Of Detainee 063 [Time]

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