Teribus - To my knowlege, none of the prisoners have died, yet. Please provide a credible reference for your statement regarding the use of keyhole surgery. I think that is purely speculation on your part. If force feeding is being done for purely humanitarian reasons, then why deny access to the prisoners by U.N. officials?

freda says: "Defence lawyers who have visited the prison recently say their clients have insisted they will maintain the protest until conditions at the prison camp improve or they are released."

If defence lawyers and the Red Cross are being allowed to see the prisoners, why is the U.N. being denied the right to interview the detainees?

Lets not forget, these are people who are being held without trial. Regardless of why the U.S. govt. is force feeding prisoners, what gives them the right? My guess is that force feeding at Guantanamo is just another form of torture. Why shouldn't the prisoners protest? Why shouldn't they seek publicity for their plight?