In the last week, America and some of our allies have come under fire for the way we supposedly treat detainees of the war on terrorism.

On Jan. 20, the U.S. Defense Department released photographs of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, giving the world its first glance at what goes on at Camp X-Ray.

Or did they?

The photographs showed what many considered to be cruel and barbaric treatment of America’s prisoners. But the reality is, our treatment of these men is far from cruel and barbaric.

The photos show the detainees kneeling, wearing goggles they can’t see out of, ear muffs, surgical masks and heavy gloves. The men were also shackled at the ankles and wrists.

After the pictures were released, many in Great Britain instantly began demanding the United States either change the treatment of the detainees or Prime Minister Tony Blair should not support America in the battle to end terrorism.

On Monday, The Mirror, a British paper, ran an editorial on the front page claiming “Mr. Bush is close to achieving the impossible – losing the sympathy of the civilized world for what happened in New York and Washington on Sept. 11.”

The editorial goes on to say the treatment of the captives “a sick attempt to appeal to the worst red-neck prejudices.”

It then encourages Blair to challenge Bush and demand the United States ease up on the detainees.

The same day, a team of British diplomats visited Camp X-Ray, and the International Committee of the Red Cross interviewed 110 of the detainees to make sure they are being treated humanely.

But what did the British diplomats find?

They found that the assumptions made were far from what’s actually going on.

Critics were accusing the United States of using sensory deprivation in order to weaken the captives to interrogate them. But that is not the case.

The men in the photographs just got off the plane that brought them to Camp X-Ray. The ear muffs they were wearing protected their hearing while on the plane. It was a 27 hour flight.

It turns out the men are not shackled unless they are outside their cell, which seems completely reasonable considering we are dealing with al-Qaida trained terrorists.

Goggles were put on the men for the plane ride for security reasons, not to desensitize their vision.

They do not wear them once they are settled in.

The surgical masks were worn in order to keep them from spreading tuberculosis and other diseases. There are between 144 and 158 captives at Camp X-Ray from 10 different countries; disease could spread pretty easily.

But still, others complain about the living areas these men are temporarily staying in. Each detainee lives in an 8-by-8 foot hut. The floor is concrete, the walls are chain-link fence and the roof is made of corrugated metal. The housing is also sprayed for mosquitoes.

Prisoners are given two towels, one used as a praying mat, and a foam mattress to sleep on. Sure, it’s not a dream house but it’s also not barbaric. It is a temporary prison being used until a larger one is built.

So, we have been careful to cater to their religion and make sure they are provided with living essentials. The Red Cross is purchasing Qurans for the Muslim prisoners, there is a sign pointing them towards Mecca so they can pray correctly, prayer time is announced over a loud speaker and the food – which is provided three times a day – does not violate Islam.

Also, each captive is given sandals, soap and shampoo.

Of course, this is not good enough for some. There has been staunch criticism of the Bush administration because the captives are not considered prisoners of war and they are being held without being charged.

Why aren’t they being considered prisoners of war? Well, as many argued against military tribunals, the United States has not declared war. In addition to that, these men do not belong to the military of any nation; they are “war criminals” or “battlefield detainees,” as the administration has labeled them.

This freaks some out because detainees are not protected by the 1949 Geneva Convention, which the United States never signed, but did ratify. Under Geneva, prisoners of war to the United States have to be tried in the same courts that a U.S. soldier would be tried in.

That means they can either be tried for war crimes through a court-martial or in a civilian court.

Tribunals, which are the safest way to ensure the safety of Americans while bringing these men to justice, are not an option for prisoners of war.

That is why they are labeled as “war criminals.”

Hopefully those who were critical are now satisfied that they know the prisoners at Camp X-Ray are OK.

It would be a good time for news organizations like The Mirror to apologize for their premature remarks about Bush and Blair.

Zach Calef is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Cedar Rapids. He is a copy editor at the Daily.