Guantanamo Cases

Many Americans likely were surprised, and perhaps even outraged, to learn of the comfortable conditions in which the enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay are kept. As a recent news article reported:

"For up to four hours a day, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, can sit outside in the Caribbean sun and chat through a chain-link fence with the detainee in the neighboring exercise yard at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mohammed can also use that time to visit a media room to watch movies of his choice, read newspapers and books, or play handheld electronic games. He and other detainees have access to elliptical machines and stationary bikes . . . ."

Pretty cushy.

If they are transferred to maximum-security stateside prisons, the detainees will face conditions somewhat worse. That's fine with us. For terrorists such as Mohammed, no conditions are too tough.

On the other hand, Guantanamo still holds some individuals who have been cleared for release, years after their initial detention -- individuals such as Fouad al-Rabiah, who was tortured into false confessions that judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Reagan appointee, said "defy belief." She ordered his release "forthwith."

Al-Rabiah has been imprisoned without justification for seven years. That's an indefensible outrage -- even if he did get to ride a stationary bike once in a while.