--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human rights advocates, for example…" description: "\"Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg" --- # Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the… ![“Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda and Taliban fighters the legal status of POWs under the Geneva Conventions.” quote by John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg) > “Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda and Taliban fighters the legal status of POWs under the Geneva Conventions.” [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques that mistreating Iraqi detainees aligns with Bush’s 2002 denial of POW status for al Qaeda/Taliban under Geneva rules. **In simple terms:** U.S. policy on detainees violates Geneva conventions. Key Takeaway Demand accountability for detainee treatment. Themes human rights law war Mood serious analytical Type policy legal When to use this quote - military policy - international law - humanitarian advocacy Key Concepts Geneva Conventions legal status accountability Questions to Reflect On - What legal mechanisms enforce POW rights? - How to balance security and law? A Different Perspective Legal arguments may be contested politically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Geneva convention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geneva-convention/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mistreatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistreatment/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoner of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner-of-war/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Human-rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [In the wake of newly-alleged prisoner abuse this week, Senator John McCain said that continued mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is hurting the nation's image.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/in-the-wake-of-newly-alleged-prisoner-abuse-this-week-senator-john/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [There are pros and cons about the policy decision whether to follow the Geneva Conventions in a war where they do not legally apply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/there-are-pros-and-cons-about-the-policy-decision-whether-to-follow/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [The United States of course wants to follow the highest standards of conduct with regard to enemy combatants who follow the rules of war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/the-united-states-of-course-wants-to-follow-the-highest-standards-of/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [It is important to recognize the differences between the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism. The treatment of those detained at Abu…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/it-is-important-to-recognize-the-differences-between-the-war-in-iraq/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [I haven't decided if he deserved to eat bread made out of sticks or live in a rancid puddle, probably because I haven't made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-haven-t-decided-if-he-deserved-to-eat-bread-made-out-of-sticks-or/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [But in Afghanistan, the general rule was that since you were fighting the Taliban, which was not a lawful government force, the Geneva Conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/but-in-afghanistan-the-general-rule-was-that-since-you-were-fighting/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [We need to understand that the Geneva Conventions are not just some historical documents born of another time, created for another purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/we-need-to-understand-that-the-geneva-conventions-are-not-just-some/) [Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/) > [What's happened at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq is one of the grossest violations of human rights under the Geneva Conventions that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-fuentes/what-s-happened-at-the-abu-ghraib-prison-in-iraq-is-one-of-the/) [Carlos Fuentes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-fuentes/) > [Military police know what to do, they know the Geneva Conventions, and their objective is to provide a safe, secure, fair environment for prisoners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-karpinski/military-police-know-what-to-do-they-know-the-geneva-conventions-and/) [Janis Karpinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-karpinski/) > [Prisoners, according to the law, who are non-U.S. citizens and are detained outside the U.S. - including in Guantanamo Bay - are denied 'habeas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/prisoners-according-to-the-law-who-are-non-u-s-citizens-and-are/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [I didn't plan that there'd be this awful situation in which our European governments, just to start the story off, breaking the Geneva conventions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/i-didn-t-plan-that-there-d-be-this-awful-situation-in-which-our/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [It is very clear from the text of the Geneva Conventions that families have the right to know about the whereabouts of their missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/it-is-very-clear-from-the-text-of-the-geneva-conventions-that/) [Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/) > [Al Qaeda doesn't abide by the Geneva Conventions, so in my opinion, they should not be afforded the protections of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-thor/al-qaeda-doesn-t-abide-by-the-geneva-conventions-so-in-my-opinion/) [Brad Thor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-thor/) ## More by John Yoo > [American soldiers had to guard prisoners on the inside while receiving mortar and weapons fire from the outside. Guantanamo is distant from any battlefield,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/american-soldiers-had-to-guard-prisoners-on-the-inside-while/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/that-is-because-the-conflict-with-al-qaeda-is-not-governed-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [A decision by the Supreme Court to subject Guantanamo to judicial review would eliminate these advantages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/a-decision-by-the-supreme-court-to-subject-guantanamo-to-judicial/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [This is not to condone torture, which is still prohibited by the Torture Convention and federal criminal law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/this-is-not-to-condone-torture-which-is-still-prohibited-by-the/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [We can guess that the unacceptable conduct of the soldiers at Abu Ghraib resulted in part from the dangerous state of affairs on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/we-can-guess-that-the-unacceptable-conduct-of-the-soldiers-at-abu/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [Nonetheless, Article 5 makes clear that if an Iraqi civilian who is not a member of the armed forces, has engaged in attacks on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/nonetheless-article-5-makes-clear-that-if-an-iraqi-civilian-who-is/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [I believe that the power to declare war is most important in limiting the powers of the national government in regard to the rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/i-believe-that-the-power-to-declare-war-is-most-important-in-limiting/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [In light of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, critics are arguing that abuses of Iraqi prisoners are being produced by a climate of disregard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/in-light-of-the-abu-ghraib-prison-scandal-critics-are-arguing-that/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [There was nothing wrong - and everything right - with analyzing a law that establishes boundaries on interrogation in the war on terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/there-was-nothing-wrong-and-everything-right-with-analyzing-a-law/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [President Bush and his commanders announced early in the conflict that the Conventions applied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/president-bush-and-his-commanders-announced-early-in-the-conflict/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [Congress has created and funded a huge peacetime military that has substantial abilities to wage offensive operations, and it has not placed restrictions on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/congress-has-created-and-funded-a-huge-peacetime-military-that-has/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [It is also worth asking whether the strict limitations of Geneva make sense in a war against terrorists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/it-is-also-worth-asking-whether-the-strict-limitations-of-geneva-make/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [The Justices are currently considering a case, argued last month, which seeks to extend the writ of habeas corpus to al Qaeda and Taliban…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/the-justices-are-currently-considering-a-case-argued-last-month-which/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [I believe that the power to declare war is most important in limiting the powers of the national government in regard to the rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/i-believe-that-the-power-to-declare-war-is-most-important-in-limiting-2/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) > [Without territory, it does not even have the resources to provide detention facilities for prisoners, even if it were interested in holding captured POWs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/without-territory-it-does-not-even-have-the-resources-to-provide/) [John Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) [Explore all 45 John Yoo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/) ## More Al qaeda quotes > [There's overwhelming evidence... circumstantial and otherwise, to suggest a connection between Iraq and al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/there-s-overwhelming-evidence-circumstantial-and-otherwise-to-suggest/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [The people who illegally cross into the country are from countries that have very close ties to al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Afghanistan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/the-people-who-illegally-cross-into-the-country-are-from-countries/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [The White House was signaling that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was of such urgency that it had priority over the crushing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/the-white-house-was-signaling-that-the-threat-posed-by-saddam-hussein/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [I was on the front lines in the Cold War, and I was on the front lines in the fight against Al Qaeda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-haspel/i-was-on-the-front-lines-in-the-cold-war-and-i-was-on-the-front-lines/) [Gina Haspel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-haspel/) > [If you don't understand what al Qaeda was trying to do on 9/11, if you don't have a sense of who Osama bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/if-you-don-t-understand-what-al-qaeda-was-trying-to-do-on-9-11-if-you/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [Some have argued that the President is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/some-have-argued-that-the-president-is-required-to-get-permission/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Iraq, for the first time, gives al Qaeda and its allies contiguous safe-haven territory to train and launch attacks into the Levant. First into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/iraq-for-the-first-time-gives-al-qaeda-and-its-allies-contiguous-safe/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [There's more evil in the charts than an Al-Qaeda suggestion box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/there-s-more-evil-in-the-charts-than-an-al-qaeda-suggestion-box/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [Muslim leaders around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/muslim-leaders-around-the-globe-have-to-continue-working-with-us-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Mistreatment of al Qaeda members and their friends and hangers-on is something I number among my moral concerns. But it's number 1,000,000,001.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mistreatment-of-al-qaeda-members-and-their-friends-and-hangers-on-is/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [(The United States) is the same as al-Qaeda, under a different color flag, calling on the name a different God to sanction and approve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-wright/the-united-states-is-the-same-as-al-qaeda-under-a-different-color/) [Jeremiah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-wright/) Browse all 360 Al qaeda quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda and Taliban fighters the legal status of POWs under the Geneva Conventions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Yoo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Al qaeda" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c1/john-yoo-14735_al-qaeda_human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim_2943199.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Human rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with…” — John Yoo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Yoo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yoo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Human rights advocates, for example, claim...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yoo/human-rights-advocates-for-example-claim-that-the-mistreatment-of-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```