American's imprisonment in Kazakhstan sends chilling message - International Herald Tribune

American's imprisonment in Kazakhstan sends chilling message - International Herald Tribune:

"Despite all the Western donor money and American-financed projects aimed at reforming the judiciaries here," said Michael Hall, an analyst in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with the International Crisis Group ... "this is all part of a bigger Central Asian trend to make their judicial systems subordinate to their presidents."

"The result is a significant retreat in America's ability to project its public and business interests in the region," he said.

"Plus, the U.S. has suffered a massive loss of credibility when it comes to talking about the rule of law and independent judiciaries in the wake of the abuses we've been hearing about in places like Guantánamo." (emphasis added)

The last paragraph is a sideline to the main story. But it shows again that it's in the best interests of the United States to treat its prisoners humanely. Any abuse we lay on our prisoners (call them what you will) can be used as a justification for the mistreatment of U.S. citizens.