Originally Posted by Botnst

Lincoln ordered the military to round-up and jail newspaper editors, publishers, and reporters. Lincoln had people jailed without trial in defiance of habeas corpus pleas. Lincoln had one member of Congress forcibly deported from the USA under threat of jail.

FDR established a tribunal for the single purpose of trying and executing German commandoes who landed on the East coast with sabotage plans. They were tried and executed. FDR established concentration camps for American citizens of Japanese descent. Most were held in the concentration camps until after the war's end.

The current administration has jailed 2 American citizens (IIRC) on US soil as enemy combatants but did not suspend habeas corpus and when ordered by the courts (after following the legal appeal process) to charge or release the accused, charged them with crimes. (I think they were both convicted, but I'm not certain.) The enemy combatants held at GTMO are not American citizens nor are they enemy combatants under the Geneva Conventions nor are they on American soil.

Thus far, no substantial evidence has been produced to indicate any physical torture ordered by anybody in the chain of command has occurred. allegations of mistreatment include keeping prisoners awake using various means such as loud music or forcing the enemy combatant to assume uncomfortable positions for periods of time. Psychological stress is commonly employed including verbal harassment and 'water-boarding'. All of the above treatment is routinely administered by American military and clandestine services ON EACH OTHER as part of their training.

I'm not sure whether Al Qaeda's prisoner treatment has undergone the same scrutiny. Folks who have investigated it have a pattern of turning-up dead. But it's probably moot since most of their prisoners are beheaded on camera.

B