Colleen Graffy

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Colleen Graffy is the United States deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and former professor of law at Pepperdine University's London campus. She is most famous for calling suicides at Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba a "good PR (public relations) move". However, this comment was quickly disavowed by Cully Stimson, United States deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs. Graffy has also been quoted as saying to Kate Allen of Amnesty International UK via e-mail in 2004 that, "In the Second World War, Americans and Britons who were captured were held until the end of hostilities. They were not read rights or given a dime to call their lawyer." [1]

Graffy is originally from Santa Barbara, California. She earned her B.A. from Pepperdine University and her M.A. from Boston University. [2]

She moved to the United Kingdom after completing her masters degree and was chairman of Republicans Abroad for the United Kingdom. [3]

On suicides in Guantanamo: "It does sound like this is part of a strategy - in that they don't value their own lives, and they certainly don't value ours; and they use suicide bombings as a tactic," Colleen Graffy, the deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy, told BBC's Newshour yesterday. "Taking their own lives was not necessary, but it certainly is a good PR move." [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pressure grows on Guantanamo Bay, BBC, June 12, 2006
  2. ^ Biography of Colleen P. Graffy, Department of State
  3. ^ She became a door tenant ay 9 Gough Square, a barrister's chambers in London. London Calling: Professor Colleen Graffy Gets a SEAL of Approval, Pepperdine University
  4. ^ Killing themselves was unnecessary. But it certainly is a good PR move, Guardian Unlimited
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