Euros in Glass Houses
Britain’s own problems.

January 22, 2002 1:30 p.m.

ecretary Donald Rumsfeld is a patient man. Today, he was tortured by the Pentagon press corps as reporters questioned him repeatedly over every criticism our European friends have raised about the treatment of detainees at Camp X-Ray. Rumsfeld gamely indulged every stupid inquiry. (Some questions they dreamed up on their own — for instance, how uncomfortable it might get during the summer with no air conditioning!) When asked about a debate over U.S. detention procedures in the British Parliament, Rumsfeld marveled over their ability to make judgments from 5,000 miles away. It happens that a detention story much closer to home for the Brits raises questions about whether they should be looked to for advice on how to handle the incarceration of terrorists.

In September 2000, the British finally closed the infamous Maze prison, located outside Belfast, which had held IRA and Loyalist terrorists. During its 30 years as the penitentiary of choice for Northern Ireland's terrorists, there were three mass breakouts (80 escapees, many never apprehended); eleven prisoners starved themselves to death under the watchful eye of Her Majesty's guards; and armed IRA inmates gunned down a Loyalist prisoner in a prison courtyard. The ability to maintain a secure, humane facility eluded the British government for 30 years. And, we might remind our British friends that Richard Reid was proselytized to adopt the suicide bombers' creed during a stint in another of Her Majesty's jails.

Complaints from the Dutch, too, could be easily addressed. For instance, we might consider reassuring them that as the al Qaeda prisoners age, they will be humanely put out of their misery.

Even the Saudis have raised concerns about the treatment of bin Laden's foot soldiers. But, as long as they have all their limbs, they are clearly far better off than anyone who gets on the wrong side of the Saudi "justice" system.

At one point during today's press conference, Secretary Rumsfeld underscored the ridiculous state of affairs he was dealing with, by reminding his audience that "America is not what's wrong with the world." Carping Europeans living smugly in glass houses are part of what is.