For God and Country - James Yee

I read this book earlier this year but never got around to blog about it. When I first heard of the book, I knew I had to read it. Thank goodness for Amazon, since I couldn't get this book locally.

I was intrigued by the controversy that surrounded this Muslim Chaplain and his experience at the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison - as a Chaplain and then as a prisoner himself.

I found the writing style to be almost amateurish, yet that's the exact reason why I thought it credible and readable. I was looking for anecdotes and facts, and these were convincingly presented in the book. I empathised with his frustrations and the challenges he faced, as the powers came down with various allegations against him - treason, character assassination, the works. None of the charges that were levelled against him stuck.

I was disgusted by Yee's description of the conditions of the prison. And the treatment that these "prisoners" went through. The mental anguish and torture were beyond belief.

With the Democrats taking control of the US Congress, (thanks to Dunner who explained it all to me) I'll be keeping an eye out on any inquiries into Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib.