Reply #4: Professional Courtesy

[DulceDecorum]

In an article set to appear Monday in SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine, the U.S. government is urged to make sure Idema's rights are protected, along with those of the two Americans arrested with him.

According to the article, torture and hostage-taking are international crimes, and the United States is party to the torture and hostage treaties and so is Afghanistan. If a crime has been codified under International Law, the United States can claim concurrent jurisdiction with the country where the incident occurred, the magazine said.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=4a0a174a8bb5bf86

Actually, I rather hope the US does as the mercenaries ask.
That way every nation who has beef with what the US-sponsored dogs of war have done on their turf can cite this case as precedent.

CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Article 2
1.) Each State Party shall take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent acts of torture in any territory under its jurisdiction.
2.) No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.
3.) An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html