Abandoning our hard fought for values and surrendering the moral high ground will encourage extremism, not defeat it, argues Binyam Mohamed writing exclusively for The Firm following his return to the UK after torture at the hands of US proxies, and his subsequent liberation from Guantanamo Bay.

It’s in amazement we watch suspected war criminals rewarded for their crimes. When Americans elected their new president, they hoped for change and a new face portraying a new America of justice and equality, where even a black man can become president. While most of those in the world believed in this deception, it had no effect on the ground or battle field. The previous administration’s policies were reimplemented and re-enforced. Those who are angry and frustrated with America’s new president should understand that he does not turn right nor left or move forward nor back without the consent of his predecessors.

The continuation of the desires and ambitions of the previous administration are very vivid in the policies undertaken by the new. To enforce their immunity from prosecution and evade justice, the old administration is forcefully directing the new into over looking and ignoring the purpose of its election to power. The old is teaching the new in committing war crimes with drone attacks against civilians in Pakistan, and concealing it by occupying the public with baseless and time wasting debates, such as should we close Guantanamo?.

It is true that we suffered whilst held political hostages by our kidnappers, but we also benefited. The damage done may seem to outweigh the benefit but can only be evaluated on individual basis. The lessons learned through our experiences are valueless. My experiences in the military commissions have enlightened me in the realm of oppression. The principles of this illegal system are now being shared by public courts around the world.

In the UK they have a system called Special Immigrations Appeals Court, a system affecting only non-British citizens. Like the commissions, where only non-Americans can be tried. You don’t have to be guilty nor any evidence shown for your incarceration. Without charge or trial, you can be locked up for years, like many have. All the Government has to do is propagate fear into the masses with a war on terror, and it is seen as a taboo to stand in opposition. I still can’t believe nor understand eight years on how a man or woman can be held without charge or trial and convictied based on secret evidence, known neither to them nor their attorneys. This system of oppression undertaken by the US and her allies leads to no solution but resentment by those oppressed and their sympathisers.

America and her allies are not gaining friends by oppression. This political catastrophe has its consequences and the stone throwing kids of Gaza should be an example. Al-Qaeda was no more than 50 persons in 2001 according to pentagon reports. Now they are in their hundreds of thousands if not millions. The US and her allies represented Al-Qaeda a superpower for political and financial interests. And thus Al-Qaeda has become a logo that every other group falls under. To instill terror into the masses, the former US administration’s slogan was “you are either with us or with the terrorists”. They didn’t leave space for those who wanted to be with neither. The trick pulled on America and her allies was to make them the sole recruiters for Al-Qaeda by uprooting western pillars of liberty, justice and equality, and creating a never ending war. America and her allies are in a dilemma over their war in Afghanistan. To withdraw means exiting without ambitious achievements, yet a prolonged stay means digging an even deeper grave. It is no shame to have a tactical withdrawal. The fix this administration could do to this sinking ship is a total withdrawal and an end to an ambitious war with no end in sight.

Also America has to try her own known war criminals. American Courts should not dismiss litigation filed by victims of American oppression because prosecutors cry “national security’. This is not a justification for war crimes to be committed by American officials, whether by a private in Guantanamo or a President in the White House and for them to get away with it. There is a saying I heard once, and wish America and her allies would practice. This saying is, the best charity begins at home. So if America and her allies want to spread their love of justice, they know where to start.