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Simon Phipps's personal commentary

Least-Worst [SocioPolitico]

My attention was drawn by pro-blogger Ashlee Vance to the US Army's Guantanamo Bay web site. It seems they have as their slogan that the internment camp down there is the "Least Worst Place", a fascinating self-judgement if ever I have heard one.

I actually use the expression 'least-worst' fairly often to indicate the scenario where the ideal outcome is unreachable. Instead of constantly yearning for it one instead faces the reality of the situation and aims to maximise the good given the unavoidable bad. It's different to compromise, which is the selection of a less-good outcome in recognition of the position of others despite the availability of a 'best' outcome.

What can we learn from the use of this phrase in this context? Well, two thoughts spring to mind:

• First, the people who coined it (presumably army folk) must consider a posting to Guantanamo Bay like Russian soldiers used to consider Siberia. The only people who had it worse were the prisoners. In fact, considering this as a tropical Gulag Archipelago seems quite appropriate.
• Second, the people who put them in this position - the US government - must consider the use of the rule of law to govern the situation as impossible. One can imagine the internal discussion - "stupid US democracy, stops us from just shooting the prisoners and being done with it. If we hold them here, basic human rights will force us to treat them like people. So the only option - the least-worst - is to throw them on some island and let the world forget them"

Only we haven't.

posted at 7:33 PM (UK) | |