# Detaining enemy combantants for information

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detaining-enemy-combantants-for-information/321433>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 13, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detaining-enemy-combantants-for-information/321433 "2005-09-13T15:44:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detaining-enemy-combantants-for-information/321433/1 "2005-09-13T15:44:35Z")

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I hope this thread can stay in GQ, but I won’t be surprised if it gets bounced to GD.

It’s been a little while now, but when I heard about the indefinite detention of detainees without trial, I heard the reason, or a major reason, was to get information out of them. This never seemed quiet logical to me because it seems that, since you’ve removed these people from the loop, their information will dry up pretty quickly. I could maybe see them being useful for a few months, but for years?  
But, then again, maybe I’m completely wrong. Has there been cases, or, even going one step further, is it the norm that a POW, or in this case EC I guess, can be able to supply useful information for years at a time?

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detaining-enemy-combantants-for-information/321433/2 "2005-09-13T16:00:42Z")

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The reason given is that they are a danger to America’s national security, and that is why they must be locked up indefinitely.