Spencer Hogue. February 27, 2017. Instructor Mrs. Nutter.

Spencer Hogue February 27, 2017 Instructor: Mrs. Nutter English 121 The War on Terror Through the Lens of Guantanamo Bay You wake up in a dimly-lit room laying down, your back flat on a cold table, facing unfamiliar men standing over you. You attempt to move, but your arms and legs are strapped down leaving you completely defenseless. Panicking, you begin to scream, but your screams are cut short as a wet cloth is laid over your face. You feel water being poured over the cloth and you begin choking; you can’t breathe; you are drowning. You are being waterboarded. What you just experienced was one of many common interrogation techniques used to pry information from suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay naval base. These techniques,†¦show more content†¦Our nation’s actions toward seeking justice and preventing any attacks of this scale from happening again came with quick notion, â€Å"Less than a week later (following the 9/11 attacks), Congress authorized the President to use military force ‘against those nations, organizations or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks,† (Yin). In essence, Congress gave the president the ability to use the military to seek out and detain terrorists responsible for 9/11, showing our country’s dedication to ending these attacks and those who initiated them for good. Overall, this tragic event revealed the need for stricter defense regulations against non-state actors (terrorists). For this reason, 9/11 was the catalyst for the beginning of the War on Terror and, consequently, the opening of Guantanamo Bay. Following the 9/11 attacks and the Congressional statement giving President Bush the power to seek out and detain terrorists, the Bush Administration asserted the need for an area of detention for these non-state actors. Certain criteria, however, had to be met to satisfy the administration and overall public safety of American citizens. These criteria include a desolate location out of U.S. Ter ritory as to prevent detainee escapes and allow loopholes in treatment of detainees and length of detention. On the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, these criteria were fully met: it is surrounded by water, as to prevent