Guantanamo: America's War on Human Rights

by David Rose

The first book to be published on the subject, this is David Rose's look at 'Camp Delta' at Guantanamo Bay - the most controversial prison in the world. Rose's book is a well-informed indictment of the regime at Guantanamo - he has visited the camp, and interviewed guards, officials and the prison's commander. He has investigated the claims of British detainess released early in 2004, and describes a suffocating atmosphere of isolation, harrassment, Kafkaesque accusation and physical brutality.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Terrorism

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2004

About the author

David Rose is a writer and investigative journalist. His awards include the David Watt Memorial Prize and the One World award for human rights journalism. His work appears in The Observer and Vanity Fair. Among his books are In the Name of the Law, a widely-praised examination of the British criminal justice system; and A Climate of Fear, an investigation of the Broadwater Farm case and the conviction of Winston Silcott. He has also written books on mountaineering, including Regions of the Heart, a biography of Alison Hargreaves, the British climber who died in her attempt to conquer K2, and he is working on a book about the US death penalty centred on a miscarriage of justice in the town of Columbus, Georgia. David Rose lives in Oxford with his family.

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely dispicable, the treatment these people are getting. Caged like animals with no legal rights probably in most cases for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And they think of themselves as a civilised country..perhaps things might slowly be changing though

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely disturbing.

Every one should know the details, to prevent more Guantanamos.

[Daniel Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guantanamo: The War on Human Rights is a novel by David Rose. Guantanamo gives regular civilians a better idea of what happens at the max security prison camp. The prisoners lives and treatment is exposed through interviews and analysis. The system of processing that occurs to each detainee is also documented, and mistreatment and abuse is revealed through that system as well. Rose also exposes how the interrogation system is flawed as well. He explains how many interpreters and interrogators are untrained and not experienced in the job that they must face. Also, Rose discusses how the US government made an uneducated decision when it came to creating Guantanamo and running the camp the way that it is run today. He concludes through all of these points that Guantanamo wasn't worth being created, due to the fact that not much information was collected and most of the detainees were proven innocent.

I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars on a 5 star rating system. The book was interesting and engaging, but I felt like it left me wanting more after reading it. However, the book still was interesting enough and gave me a different perspective on an interesting current event.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well written, examining just how George W. Bush was an asshole, made America into a bully, and destroyed the ideas of democracy and freedom. Read it if you want to get angry (or if you happen to find it in a guesthouse in Malaysia.)

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confirms your worst fears of the situation in Guantanamo and the depths of incompetence and cruelty of those responsible. Chilling

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an insight into Guantanamo and its injustices, and more generally the resurgence of torture as an intelligence 'technique', it is a helpful and well-researched read. I'd recommend it. But I also felt that, as an analysis of where Guantanamo fits in the wider landscape of US foreign policy, it was weirdly lacking -- it seemed to paint Guantanamo as wholly anomalous and uniquely bad, even at the same time as it acknowledged that detainees faced even worse treatment at other US sites, leaving it feeling strangely decontextualised at times.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find some fault in the last chapter that tends towards opinions against the Bush administration rather than concrete fact but this book is EXCELLENT. I read it in two days. Awful topic but a necessary read in order to prevent this from happening again.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read anything this year, read this book! It will change your perspective.