A Place Outside the Law
Forgotten Voices from Guantánamo
Boston : Beacon Press, [2019]
Format: Book
Description: xi, 281 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Firsthand testimonies from Guantanamo Bay, inspiring future generations to never repeat the human rights violations of the detention center.
Law scholar and Witness to Guantanamo founder Peter Jan Honigsberg uncovers a haunting portrait of life at the military prison and its toll, not only on the detainees and their loved ones but also on its military and civilian personnel and the journalists who reported on it.
Honigsberg conducted 158 interviews across 20 countries so that the people who lived and worked there could tell their heartbreaking and inspirational stories. In each one, we face the reality that the healing process cannot begin until we start the conversation about what was done in the name of protecting our country. These are a few of them. Many alleged operatives in Guantanamo were purchased by the United States for ransom from Afghan and Pakistani soldiers. Brandon Neely, a prison guard who processed the first group of suspected operatives to arrive in Cuba, flew to London to embrace the detainees he guarded after leaving the military. Navy whistleblower Matt Diaz covertly released the names of 500 detainees by sending them in a greeting card to a lawyer in New York. Journalist Carol Rosenberg committed the past 17 years of her career to documenting life at Guantanamo. And Damien Corsetti, an interrogator who came to be known as the "King of Torture," received ribbons and awards for the same cruel actions for which he was later prosecuted.
In startling, aching prose, A Place Outside the Law shines a light on these unheard voices, and through them, encourages the global community to embrace humanity as our greatest tool to make the world a safer place.
Law scholar and Witness to Guantanamo founder Peter Jan Honigsberg uncovers a haunting portrait of life at the military prison and its toll, not only on the detainees and their loved ones but also on its military and civilian personnel and the journalists who reported on it.
Honigsberg conducted 158 interviews across 20 countries so that the people who lived and worked there could tell their heartbreaking and inspirational stories. In each one, we face the reality that the healing process cannot begin until we start the conversation about what was done in the name of protecting our country. These are a few of them. Many alleged operatives in Guantanamo were purchased by the United States for ransom from Afghan and Pakistani soldiers. Brandon Neely, a prison guard who processed the first group of suspected operatives to arrive in Cuba, flew to London to embrace the detainees he guarded after leaving the military. Navy whistleblower Matt Diaz covertly released the names of 500 detainees by sending them in a greeting card to a lawyer in New York. Journalist Carol Rosenberg committed the past 17 years of her career to documenting life at Guantanamo. And Damien Corsetti, an interrogator who came to be known as the "King of Torture," received ribbons and awards for the same cruel actions for which he was later prosecuted.
In startling, aching prose, A Place Outside the Law shines a light on these unheard voices, and through them, encourages the global community to embrace humanity as our greatest tool to make the world a safer place.
Contents:
A place outside the law -- Coming to America -- Right side of things -- China's shadow -- Lawlessness -- Undermining heroes -- Faux law -- Warrior journalist -- Expected and unexpected consequences : changes and transformations -- Facebook friends -- Convert -- Flight (1) -- Flight (2) -- From pride to shame -- Paying respect -- For his son -- Guantánamo saved my life -- Timmy -- Half-full -- Being up close to torture -- The empty chair -- Human rights forsaken -- Blindsided -- The pain inside -- Alone -- We tortured him -- Castaways -- Drones -- Looking forward and looking back -- Rising above -- Kuwaiti escorts.
Subjects:
Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp.
War on Terrorism, 2001-2009 -- Personal narratives.
Detention of unlawful combatants -- Cuba -- Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.
Detention of unlawful combatants -- United States.
Prisoners of war -- Cuba -- Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.
Prisoners of war -- United States.
Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp.
War on Terrorism, 2001-2009 -- Personal narratives.
Detention of unlawful combatants -- Cuba -- Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.
Detention of unlawful combatants -- United States.
Prisoners of war -- Cuba -- Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.
Prisoners of war -- United States.
ISBN:
9780807026984 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Availability | |||
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Call Number | Location | Shelf Location | Status |
GOV Military Hon | Main (Downtown) | Third Level, Nonfiction | In |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-262) and index.