What are they going to do with all those thousands of Iraqi POWs?

convert them by getting them drunk on a daily basis and showing them lots and lots of p0rn

Perhaps convert them to the Churth of Aria?

Seriously though, what happens to them, besides fattening them up on US army rations?

When the war ends, they go home.

lol ok that was obvious I guess

One wonders how all these ethnic groups, tribal groups, and former army units are all going to get along like one happy family.

That should also be obvious: they will be under close guard while in US custody.

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!

Well, they certainly aren't summarily executing them and parading them on TV.

Simey, is there anything in the Geneva Conventions that says we have to give them special kinds of meals? I mean, could we provide them with food and beverage in the form of pork/bacon/sausage and beer?

Nah, I know what kind of outrage that would cause. But executing our guys and it's barely noticed by the wonderful world community...

What? They're executing our guys??

I doubt the Geneva Conventions themselves address the issue. They are a bit out of date in these PC times. For example, prisoners have a tabacco entitlement (don't tell Californians!).

Anyway, you don't have to provide special rations, but you are supposed to at least give the same rations given our own troops and it probably would be a violation of some kind to deliberatly give people pork if you know they are forbidden to eat it. I know that after the last Gulf War, the US started making rations that are unobjectionable to Muslims (for dropping in Bosnia). I imagine that is what they will get.

I did hear a story from one soldier I used to know who was in Desert Storm. He said some POWs (who had been starving) were eating MREs when he noticed a couple were chowing down on a pork meals. He boasted about the look on the poor prisoners' faces when he made oink! oink! noises pointing to their half eaten dinners.

Personally, I was pretty appalled, but then again, that particular soldier was a bit of a lout.

.

There was a big stink about this when we first started shipping Afghani "illegal combatants" or what ever silly term they used to get around the GC. There was something about having to take reasonable measures to not violate a POW's religious customs. This included rations.

I hope everyone is aware I was kidding about the meals of pork and beer!

I say, treat them well, when we send them back to their homes, they will have more respect for us. Hopefully that will reverberate through their society.

As far as the cigarette provision, THAT explains why the POWs were always smoking in WWII movies. I always wondered, how did they get cigarettes?? Now I know.

I'd be appalled too. But how do you fix it? I mean, if you don't know the language, there's a problem.

"Hey, that's not the right MRE for you! Stop!"

Most likely will be handed over to another country to deal with them (Interrogate for intellegence in ways we legally can't, and uthanize).

use them as slave labour in the oil processing plants, oil pipelines and oil drilling - just like they are now

I very much agree with you; I met an old man in Germany which used to be POW in France - there not only he learned french, but also a deep respect for other cultures.
If they are mistreated (which I think is not the case) they will perceive americans as the enemy long after the war is over.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear. He wasn't doing it out of concern for them. He did it maliciously to upset them. At least, that's how I took it when he told the story.

You were clear. That was how I would have handled it, I'd like to think.

OTOH, maybe I just wouldn't have told them at all. Depends.

Or maybe they could have removed the pork meals from the case before giving it to the POWs? It isn't as though they didn't know there was pork in there. From memory, about 20% of the MRE's at that time contained pork and we all knew the menus backwards. I have a nasty feeling they set that situation up deliberately by just tossing them the case.

If so,it is a pretty minor case of abuse, but a step toward barbarism that somewhat shocked me at the time when I heard him tell his "joke." This, of course, assumes he wasn't just ********ting.

There was a story last year about afganistan, and the rations they made for the Afgans.

They are specially designed for them. They aren't army surplus. They contain foods commonly found in their diet, and allowed by religious custom (no pork)...

They even include written instructions on them in the language of the people they are intended for.

Any pork rations given to Iraqi POW's would be intentional, as it would be labeled in clear english, not arabic.

They were created originally for distribution to refugees. I think they are called Humanitarian Daily Rations. They are designed not to offend anyone and are apprarently the blandest crap you ever tasted. I heard that Bosnian refugees complained about them constantly.

This reminds be about the un-PC joke about what MRE stands for - Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.

Just wanted to share with you that muslims are if starving allowed to eat pork. Also if nothing else is available they are allowed to eat it.

Not that I'm saying that it is OK to give it to them. The story Simey told is disgusting.

But back on topic.
In the briefing today the general(don't remember his name), said that it was not up to them(the military) to decide what it should do with the POWs. He answered that when asked if the POWs would be labeled as the ones from Afganistan who are now on Guantanamo. So we shouldn't be a 100% sure that they will be able to go back to their families. I hope they do, but Afganistan showed that the USA isn't all to convinced the Geneva convention is always right.

That is true, but under extreme circumstances.

It would be highly unethical for us to *give* it to them. Especially considering how alternatives are.

It's actually better not to include meat, but other products high in protein such as beans. Since they stay better.

Slimey: sounds bland to me, when I saw some info on it. I heard they spiced it up for Afganistan, to meet the culinary traditions of the region. Not sure how much, or what they did, but it's said they weren't nearly as bad.

ERIC!!!!!

Well on an interview I saw they said the meals are infact HALAL, so I guess they are specially made.

Logic -- no flame intended... but the Afghan
detainees where not in uniform.

Read the rest below.

The Geneva Conventions and supplementary protocols make a distinction between combatants and civilians.

The two groups must be treated differently by the warring sides and, therefore, combatants must be clearly distinguishable from civilians.

Although this obligation benefits civilians by making it easier for the warring sides to avoid targeting non-combatants, soldiers also benefit because they become immune from prosecution for acts of war.

For example, a civilian who shoots a sholdier may be liable for murder while a soldier who shoots an enemy soldier and is captured may not be punished.

In order for the distinction between combatants and civilians to be clear, combatants must wear uniforms and carry their weapons openly during military operations and during preparation for them.

The exceptions are medical and religious personnel, who are considered non-combatants even though they may wear uniforms. Medical personnel may also carry small arms to use in self-defense if illegally attacked.

The other exception are mercenaries, who are specifically excluded from protections. Mercenaries are defined as soldiers who are not nationals of any of the parties to the conflict and are paid more than the local soldiers.

Combatants who deliberately violate the rules about maintaining a clear separation between combatant and noncombatant groups -and thus endanger the civilian population- are no longer protected by the Geneva Convention.

Combatants who do fall within the guidelines of the Geneva Conventions enjoy the following protections:

Prisoners of war must be treated humanely. Specifically, prisoners must not be subject to torture or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind. They must also be protected against violence, intimidation, insults and public curiosity. The public display of POWs is also prohibited.

When questioned - in the prisoner's native language - prisoners of war must only give their names, ranks, birth dates and serial numbers. Prisoners who refuse to answer may not be threatened or mistreated.

Prisoners of war must be immediately evacuated away from a combat zone and must not be unnecessarily exposed to danger. They may not be used as human shields.

Finally, and most importantly, prisoners of war may not be punished for the acts they committed during the fighting unless the opposing side would have punished its own soldiers for those acts as well.