Camp Bucca Iraq

Camp Bucca Iraq was a prison camp (closed in September 2009) maintained by the United States military in the vicinity of Umm Qasr, Iraq.

The facility was initially called Camp Freddy and was used by British Forces to hold Iraqi prisoners of war. It was taken over by the U.S. military in April 2003, and they changed its named to Camp Bucca after Ronald Bucca, a soldier with the 800th Military Police Brigade. Ronald was also the New York City Fire Marshall who died in the September 11 terror attacks.

After the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, many detainees were transferred to Camp Bucca. Detainees were housed in cinder block units with wooden roofing rather than tents.

They were organized and administered their own classes in subjects like literacy and religion. They also competed in soccer matches. Cigarettes, tea, and the opportunity to listen to radio and T.V. programs were used as incentives for good behavior.

The facility had its very own U.S. Army-run hospital to serve detainees. It offered comprehensive health care on a basis that most Americans have no access too.

My personal opinion is if you decide to live a life of violence then you give up all rights. Perhaps if a policy on this level had been adopted then maybe insurgents would have thought twice about committing the crimes they were arrested for.

If breaking the law would put them in a prison where they would not be allowed to worship Allah, then maybe some of the violence could have been stopped.

In October 2005, the International Committee of the Red Cross began the Family Visitation Allowance Program at Camp Bucca Iraq.

The program provided monetary assistance to families of detainees held at Camp Bucca to help cover part of the traveling and hotel costs required to visit the facility.

The benefits were calculated based on the distance between their home and the city of Umm Qasr.

I am not so sure that this was a good idea by the Red Cross. I am sure there was a lot of fraud in it. I wonder how much of this money was given by Americans so that those who killed our families and were detained could have family visits.

This seems to be a slap in the face. I do not give to the Red Cross, but I do give to other charities.

On December 12, 2005, Nearly 90 percent of all eligible security detainees in Multi-National Forces-Iraq Theater Internment Facilities participated in the democratic vote on the Iraqi National Ballot.

Not sure I agree with this. Let criminals decide who runs the country? Do we wonder why there is a failed policy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On March 15, 2007 military officials announced plans to once again expand Camp Bucca Iraq and Camp Cropper. Officials stated that this increase in capacity would be necessary to handle the detainees generated from the increased security operations in Baghdad. At the time of the report, Camp Bucca's detainee population stood around 13,800.

At its height, Camp Bucca Iraq had some 20,000 prisoners of war.

Below is a video of a riot that took place at Camp Bucca. Notice how the United States military people try to calm a situation in which they have no training. I would have been throwing grenades and not tear gas.

In August 2008, six sailors were charged for abusing detainees at Camp Bucca. The abuse allegedly involved the beatings of two detainees and the sealing of eight detainees in a cell filled with pepper spray.

The abuse occurred after some detainees attacked guards, spitting on them and throwing containers filled with human waste at them.

In November 2008, the 6 sailors faced an article 32 hearing at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on charges of conspiracy, cruelty and maltreatment and making false official statements.

I believe if a prisoner of war wants to act like an animal then he/she needs to be treated like an animal. This "nice" policy that the US has adopted has to end if we are to make a difference in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Prisoners of war have a right to try to escape and to be shot while making that escape. That is the only right they have.

The prisoners at Camp Bucca had many privileges. They spent hours digging escape tunnels, rioting, planning escapes and some actually did escape. Most were found and returned.

The U.S. military closed Camp Bucca Iraq, an isolated desert prison that was once its largest lockup in Iraq, as it moves to release thousands of detainees or transfer them to Iraqi custody before the end of the year.

All of its prisoners have been sent to other facilities and some were freed. Most were sent to Iraqi prisons where I am sure they have been able to buy their freedom due to the corruption in Iraq.

Iraqi officials say some who have been freed have returned to violence. Did we expect a violent criminal to start a life of peace after being locked up for a few years in a place that provided more comfort than he got at home?

"They've been vetted as some of the most dangerous threats not only to Iraq but Internationally," said Lt. Col. Kenneth King, the commander of the Bucca detention facility.

Iraqi officials in the former insurgent heartland around Fallujah have watched with concern as an influx of ex-detainees from Bucca return to homes in places with few jobs, making them easy prey for militant recruiters.

Camp Bucca is being turned over to the Iraqi Navy. It is a fifty million dollar facility. I am sure by this time the Iraqis have stripped anything of value.

Soon the facility will be abandoned and be buried by the dust of the desert and the memories it created will disappear.

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