Current Status: The United States is engaged in a conflict that transcends national boundaries. The enemy is not a regular soldier, does not wear a uniform and under the international laws of armed conflict, is not subject to the rules associated with prisoners of war. Nevertheless the US national media has shaped public perception to imply that captured enemies are not only prisoners of war but are entitled to the same constitutional protections that a citizen of the United States enjoys. Uninformed public criticism has hampered intelligence gathering efforts by denying interrogators the use of a wide range of techniques available to them. Enemy prisoners are being detained in relative comfort with our peculiar effort to bend over backwards to supply all of their medical, religious and nutritional needs. This costs the US taxpayer unnecessary money and only strengthens the ability of the prisoners to resist.

Correction toward the Ideal: Laws regarding the treatment of prisoners in warfare have almost always been agreed to with the understanding of reciprocity. The current irregular enemy has demonstrated no willingness to treat American prisoners humanely. United States national command authority should have learned that treating prisoners with reserve, compassion and sensitivity is a failed policy. We are morally obligated to treat enemy prisoners within the bounds of basic humanity and nothing more. The enemy should fear unpleasant and regular interrogation and that the United States has no responsibility towards the comfort or religious requirements of prisoners. This Spartan treatment of irregular prisoners will nearly always contribute to shorter conflicts and saving lives on both sides. It seems that most people understand this in spite of the politically correct national media that promotes the current failed policy.

Supporting Information: See the Learn More section to the right for more information on this topic—especially our white paper on Treatment/Interrogation of Irregular Combatant Prisoners.