Is the US government acting ethically towards detainees with regards Essay

Is the US government acting ethically towards detainees with regards to confinement, access to legal representation, torture methods - Essay Example But the ethical consideration in acting towards detainees with regards to confinement, access to legal representation, torture methods etc remain the most pertinent issues of the contemporary times in America. The widespread cases of in-house torture and in-human treatment of wartime prisoners and civilian detainees have brought to the fore the need for more effective measures of ethical paradigms and human rights. The Guantanamo torture of detainees and Abu Ghraib, unlawful detention of civilians and other such cases expose the human rights violations of American forces and homeland security. The aftermath of 9/11 has brought out ‘war on terrorism’ where torture of innocent has become a by-word for preemptive and preventive actions against future terrorist acts. The post 9/11 scenario has seen a marked paradigm shift in the outlook of the racial and religious background of the people and has especially been traumatic for persons of Moslem origin and Asians. The general motives of the terrorists in this country and abroad involve coercive tactics and unlawful intimidation of the government bodies to force the government to accede to their vested interest regarding political, ideological or religious demands. To safeguard people’s interests, new strategies and plans were required to be developed and enforced. US Patriotic Act was amended and renamed ‘USA Patriot and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act’ (USPA). It was made more stringent and extra statutes included with wide ranging terrorists relating offences like deliberate and destructive activity against the state or its people resulting in loss of life or property, money laundering, surveillance and detention of people under suspect of terrorist activities etc. with capital punishment introduced. Jane Mayer asserts that ‘United States made terrible decisions in the pursuit of terrorists around the