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Show The Salt Lake Tribune OPINION Al5 Friday, February 1, 2002 The theory ofpsychological egoism suggests thatall human behaviors are ultimately motivated byselfish inter- Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stood before the television cameras, Geneva ests. Even when people appear to be performing a selfless act, the theory goes, there are personal agendas at “In 1949, the civilized world laid down therules for captured enemyfighters, andthe United States intends to follow every one in both letter and spirit.” Really, what would that have cost us? Rumsfeld has defended the treat- selfish interests to do a more respectful job with our captives. The images from Camp X-ray of shackled prisoners on their knees with blacked-out goggles and face masks have bounced around the Lane Taising loud protests from human rights groups and careful ones from some of our allies. Britain sent a delegation to check on its three citizens imprisoned at X-ray, and while most part,” but would he be quite so dignity, forcibly shaved, in violation of their religion and culture, and placed in a supplicant position, they were a pitiful spectacle. The military chose to circulate those images (photographic swagger?) and was admonished for it by theInternational Committee of the Red Cross, which said the captives were being made a “public curiosity.” You have to wonder, though, how those pictures were recei by the Muslim world, a place we seek to dis- possess of anger over perceived U.S. arrogance. Wouldn’t our vital national American military’s response was to assure the world thatthe pris- security objectives have been betterserved by handling these prisoners in precisely the same way we would want our soldiers to be treated upon cap- oners were only kept that way temporarily. When they were dispatched to their open-air cells, all the restraints aneoff, said amilitary spokesman. are missing the point. It wasn’t just the physical discomfort of the wD PUT SX$_ OPEN AR. WK CELLS! XN with the Geneva Conventions “for the prisoners,it was their humiliation at our hands. Stripped of their human the investigation team came away saying there were “no complaints,” clearly there is lingering unease. AMERICA FLIES US D GIANTAAND WAAL Rage - ment of the prisoners as consistent ST. PETERSBURG TIMES Geneva Conventions. I'm not making our government motivated by either one.I’m just suggestingthatitis in our TEA *y LUN PREONERS* \ Conventions in hand, and proclaimed: work. I find this idea intriguingly apt asa basis for our military to treat the 158 Taliban and al-Qaida de- a plea for altruism or doing what’s right, although it would be nice to see : a U.S.Interests Ill-Served by Brutal Treatmentofal-Qaida Prisoners ture? Wouldn't that show ourselves as asuperpowernottoo big to respect the sanguine if the situation were reversed? Would hefind it understandable for security purposes for a foreign powerto hold American fighting in cages resembling kennels, exposed to the elements and diseasecarrying mosquitoes and under 24hour floodlights? And how would he feel if our captured fighting forces were denied prisoner-of-war status — and all its attendant rights — at the whim of our enemy's leaders (when the Geneva Conventions require the appointmentof a special tribunal to determine whoqualifies as a POW)? Nations enforce international law due to the “apprehension of reciprocity,” notes Alfred Rubin, distinguished professorof international law at Tufts University. He says, “Every country enforces the Geneva Conven- tions byitself and, in doing so, deals with the issue of how itwouldlike its own folks to be treated. rules of war? Think about how differently this tary leaders initially didn’t want to saga would be playing out had Defense designate the Viet Cong prisoners as During the Vietnam War,our mili- POWs. We did so because we wanted our captured soldiers to be treated as POWsbythe North Vietnamese. During both the Korea and Vietnam con- dummysurveillance drones, few soldiers are at risk of capture. But psychological egoism would still land us on the side of expansively interpreting international human flicts, we vociferously objected to vio- lations of the Geneva Conventions relative to our POWs. Things have changed since then, rights law. A world that assimilates norms of humane treatment, respect for the individual, andfair process is a far safer one. We are the world’s leader and it could be our country is no longer susceptible to the apprehen- and all eyes are on us to see whether wetake the high road. Our interests irrefutablylie in doing so. sion of reciprocity. When you fight wars remotely with smart bombs and Bush’s State of the Union Address Connects With the American People WASHINGTON — You're talking long-distance, and the guy sounds like he’s in the “recession.” He admit- CHRIS MATTHEWS ted his policies would cause new federal deficits and, though he couldn’t quite say “Enron,” that we've got blem with corporate same room with you. That's whatit’s like listen- ing to President Bush these days. As he stood surrounded by ll those politicians Tuesday re night, he didn’t look like one of The At meepet and sounded ; Talk aboutperfect pitch! He knows that the “beautiful people” are out, and, instead, servicemembers are in. Rather two-thirds ofthe American people, and the even the majority ofhardcore Democrats, believe that s 9 ., this young president has changed the tone in of the Washington for the better. eee bragged how he % and the Democrats country with somethingcalled freq the education bill. partisan shots by Tom Daschle And that dangeris real and playing the usual game — but country notas a self-involved Prom King, but as a guy witha _job to do. “The United Statesof Amer_ica will not permit the world’s The reason Bush’s job approval is near 90 percent, the reason wefeelso close to him, is that he so obviouslydoes. “Whateverit costs to defend our country, wewill payit.” andothershave boomeranged. present. Bush presented himThis vital president knows self before Congress and the attendants, teachers and milifreedom’s battle and how tary wives. No famous faces. America stands “firm for the Ue irc A he ROSS cements oa In telli hei heant: oer naafigasheper et telling rending stories, Bush didn’tlet whatan “opportunity” history He joked that the conservative folks back at his Crawford, Texas, coffee shop couldn't quite believe he had gotten so much cooperation out of the big, bad liberal from Massachi thatit’stimefor unity infaceof acommonthreat. “Evil is real, and it must be opposed,” he said Tuesday. “Beyondall differences of race or creed, we are one country, the way Clinton fancied. Just the opposite! Instead of leading the nation in self-pity, he told us to buck up and give two years of our lives to the has granted us. You know, the way Jack Kennedyonce did. Bush also knows the power of simple honesty. The first sentence out of his mouth Tuesdaynight was a confession that the economy’s in a tesmore than the prospect ofa mourning together andfacing than big shots, he packed the minded us what a “privilege” it even had nice things to say first lady's gallery with flight is for leaders like him to fight hou: my friend Ted Kennedy.” those peopleup in the balcony his message outefficient Frats tien goes backto ey the tone in Washington for the better. It also explains why dangertogether.” “T was so proud ofour witI Hedidn’t sayhefelt the pain of Shales wrote after watching him address the Congress. “He right now. Of.all the terrors at large in the world, none scares the Freedom Corps. He re- his voice catch like Reagan did. mostdestructive weapons.” “Hedoesn’t distract us with charisma,” media critic Tom And that’s what we want Union also struck the ight ‘bipartisan tone. GHICAGO TRIBUNE SERVICE | 7 State threaten us with the world’s It’s public displayslike this that explain why It’s public displays like this that explain why two-thirds of most dangerous regimes to president not taking this job seriously, some politician this time, with our lives and safety as the stakes. Panasonic’ the American people, and the even the majority of hardcore Democrats, believe that this young president has changed NEW LOW PRICE! TO BE HELD AT THE MURRAYSTORE LOCATION! Game Boy’ Advance ie TS HOME FURNISHINGS Saturday, February 2, 2002 inside at R.C. Willey’s 861 East 6600 South store location. GAMEBOY! lake Podium from the Atlanta Olympic Games! i + (From 11:00 A.M. = 3:00 PM.) Ae 3 ail SALT LAKE 20 Tee) By canny Pins, collectibles, memorabilia “Raffle, Prizes, Giveaways, Food, Fun! See 2 FREE Olympic Tickets Pm Lec Rag deeae id enue Cir) Coal Game Boy Advance 6 times more powerful than Game Boy with a 50% larger screen. 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