Sike! Remember feeling so elated watching President Obama using that beautiful left hand signature to declare Guantanamo would close within the year? It was a wonderful feeling right?
Remember hearing that the military tribunals would not longer be use to falsely convict suspected terrorists. Ah finally justice.
WASHINGTON — New legislation by Senate Democrats would fund the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but it would block the transfer of any of the detainees to the United States.
The move to sidestep a political minefield is a rebuff to President Barack Obama, whose promise to close the Guantanamo facility within a year of taking office has run into Republicans and Democrats opposed to bringing accused terrorists onto U.S. shores.
Well we've been duped again. After learning that the military tribunals are coming back (albeit imbued with some Article III due process...call it due process lite) we now have to be prepared that Gitmo will not be closed.
How much more can we take?
This not an attack on the President. However, what has changed with this President?
We are still engaged in two wars which were mistakes (even Afghanistan)...We plan pulling out of Iraq as slowly as Bush or McCain suggested doing (which is aligned with Iraq's dictates)...we are building up in Afghanistan even though Gen. David Petreus has told us that Al Qaeda is not in Afghanistan...
But at least we closed down Gitmo. At least we ended the kangaroo courts of George Bush. No not even that.
Our President refuses to prosecute men that wasted American treasure and lives in committing war crimes. Our President refuses to prosecute torturers. At least-at least he closed Guantanamo!
With all the evidence that men were tortured and killed inside of Gitmo, we are faced with a Congress that not only does not want Gitmo closed but some members openly say that there is no good reason to close Guantanamo.
This is not some weak issue that can be looked over. On the left we have looked over a lot already. We've looked over an economic bailout that helped Wall St. but not those whose homes were foreclosed. We looked over that. We didn't give 780 billion to the people. We gave that to the banks and financial institutions that started this mess.
We looked over not immediately ending the Iraq War. Have faith this administration is better than Bush or McCain. Alright give him time.
We looked over increasing our presence in Afghanistan even though Al Qaeda isn't there.
We looked over Health Care that will be a boon to the insurance companies and not having single-payer health care because its too hard to strive for. Alright we'll give him that one.
Now torture we say, "Well maybe it's a slow process. This administration won't ignore torture surely not give them time".
This is where we should draw the line, however. This is where we should say no more looking the other way. We cannot leave Gitmo open after what has been done there. How can we even speak of Gitmo without hanging our heads in shame. Guantanamo Bay is a symbol of a national tragedy as large as 9/11 itself; it is when America lost it's moral standing with the world.
We should demand the closing of Gitmo and demand that the prisoners therein are tried in Article III courts. We are better than this.
Edit: What is wrong with US prisons that they cannot hold foreign terrorists?? They can hold domestic murderers, rapists, serial killers...but not terrorists! They have super-human powers and if they ever escaped thye could reek havoc throughout the land! This doesn't make sense. We can safely hold terrorists in US prisons. What is the fear of having them inside America?
Edit: Senate Dems on Gitmo...
SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): "I Think That The People Who Have Been Held In Guantanamo Are Being Charged Essentially For Acts Of International Terror, For Acts Of War, And They Don't Belong In Judicial System, And They Don't Belong In Our Jails. ... [T]here Are Facilities Built In Guantanamo Right Now That Are Able To Do That." (ABC’s "This Week," 5/17/09)
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT): "We’re Not Going To Bring Al-Qaeda To Big Sky Country - No Way, Not On My Watch." ("Bid To Lure Gitmo Prisoners To Montana Nixed," USA Today, 4/24/09)
SEN. JON TESTER (D-MT): Said He Is "Against Any Proposal To Bring Guantanamo Detainees To Montana." ("Bid To Lure Gitmo Prisoners To Montana Nixed," USA Today, 4/24/09)
SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): "I Wouldn't Want Them, And I Wouldn't Take Them ... I Don't See A Solution." ("Lawmakers Balk At Holding Guantanamo Detainees In U.S.," The Washington Post, 5/8/09)
SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-MD): "We Have To Make Sure That Streets And Neighborhoods Don't Think That They're Going To Be The Repository Of Guantanamo Prisoners." ("Holder Seeks To Calm Uproar Over Guantanamo," Reuters, 5/7/09)
SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL (D-MO): "Guantanamo Is A Huge Political Problem ... All Of Us Will Take Some Political Heat For It." ("Democrats Face Hard Time Over Guantanamo," Los Angeles Times, 5/7/09)
SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA) Expressed Concern Over Guantanamo Detainees Being Moved To Quantico Marine Base. "And Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, said in an interview that he was deeply concerned about the possibility of some detainees being moved to the Marine base at Quantico in his home state, which, he said, ‘is in a very populated area in the greater capital region.’" ("Seeking Cudgel, Republicans Return To National Security Issue," The New York Times, 5/2/09)