"Terrorists are NOT "prisoers of war", as in the accepted definiteion of the term, which has some very specific description, one of which is that they are wearing a uniform."
I don't address whether or not terrorists were prisoners of war.
I asked the poster if he thought attitudes could have changed after 9/11.
The terrorists already know our weakness and are using it against us. This just gives them not only more ammunition, but a free pass.
Excerpt from Al Qaeda training manual:
"UK/BM-176 TO UK/BM-180 TRANSLATION Lesson Eighteen
PRISONS AND DETENTION CENTERS
IF AN INDICTMENT IS ISSUED AND THE TRIAL, BEGINS, THE BROTHER HAS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING:
1. At the beginning of the trial, once more the brothers must insist on proving that torture was inflicted on them by State Security [investigators] before the judge.
2. Complain [to the court] of mistreatment while in prison."
http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/manualpart1_4.pdf