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WASHINGTON (CNN) ? President Barack Obama issued four executive orders Thursday to demonstrate a clean break from the Bush administration on the war on terror, including one requiring that the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year.

 

A second executive order formally bans torture by requiring that the Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations. The essentially ends the Bush administration's CIA program of enhanced interrogation methods.

 

 

 

A third executive order establishes an inter-agency task force to lead a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and a review of all individual cases.

 

A fourth executive order delays the trial of Ali al-Marri, a legal U.S. resident who has been contesting his detention for more than five years as an enemy combatant in a military brig without the government bringing any charges against him.

 

 

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/...son/#more-36878

This makes my day.

This settles it, he's a Muslim.

Oh no!

 

No more Extreme Waterboarding???

 

I thought for sure it would be in the Summer Olympics. :confused

I wouldn't take torture off the table as a tool in some cases.

 

He promised to close Gitmo, not to issue an order to close it, so this order means nothing. Assuming he closes it, which I doubt he will, where will he stick the terrorists?

I wouldn't take torture off the table as a tool in some cases.

 

He promised to close Gitmo, not to issue an order to close it, so this order means nothing. Assuming he closes it, which I doubt he will, where will he stick the terrorists?

That's the big question. I don't want to get my hopes up and believe that we will just dump them back in Afghanistan, but even that concern is a ways off from an order that gives the President a year to change his mind and keep the prison running.

I wouldn't take torture off the table as a tool in some cases.

 

He promised to close Gitmo, not to issue an order to close it, so this order means nothing. Assuming he closes it, which I doubt he will, where will he stick the terrorists?

That's the big question. I don't want to get my hopes up and believe that we will just dump them back in Afghanistan, but even that concern is a ways off from an order that gives the President a year to change his mind and keep the prison running.

the only problem I have is this proposed US jails and then US trials and the problems that can cause. But I do not completely know the whole situation and what would happen. This is just what I have picked up from passing.

We already tried and convicted guys like Zacharias Moussawi (sp?), Richard Reid (the shoe bomber), and the 1st WTC terrorists in US federal courts. Now they are all under lockdown for the rest of their lives in a Supermax prison in CO. Why not just do that with the other guys if they are convicted? I don't get all the whining that now we have no place to put some of these terrorists. That's stupid. Of course we do.

We already tried and convicted guys like Zacharias Moussawi (sp?), Richard Reid (the shoe bomber), and the 1st WTC terrorists in US federal courts. Now they are all under lockdown for the rest of their lives in a Supermax prison in CO. Why not just do that with the other guys if they are convicted? I don't get all the whining that now we have no place to put some of these terrorists. That's stupid. Of course we do.

yea but CIA intel will have to be used for these captured terrorists. It is different than domestic terrorists, no? Again I do not know the top to bottom.

I think it would have been better if the Obama had a defined process in place before crafting this executive order. Judging from the announcement and the interaction Obama had with Greg Craig it is clear no process has been developed.

my understanding is that there really isn't much evidence to present against most of these guys who were picked up in the battlefields and such in Afghanistan. And to be honest, unless they were involved in some clearly defined terrorist activities (which would not include simply attacking US forces invading and later occupying Afghanistan), I say just dump them back in Afghanistan. It'll save us money and their standard of life back there is probably worse than what it is in a US prison anyway.

 

But of course, I also think we should leave Afghanistan entirely.

The main problem I foresee right now is that most of the evidence available against the big name terror suspects we have in custody would not be admissible in any legitimate court, thanks to the Bush administration's frequent use of torture against these guys. This puts Obama and his Justice Department in a bind as to what we should do with them. Unfortunately I have heard that the administration is considering some kind of modified military court system for trial, which would not be much better than the current system that has been placed on hiatus until further notice by Obama.

I know I will cause some people here to roll their eyes but I really can't give Obama much credit and praise for this. This is nothing but a feel-good political ploy that aims to destroy a fascist symbol leftover from the Bush administration but there is little indication that actual policy will change. The symbolic institution of Guantanamo Bay might now be phased out but that does not immediately imply that the practice will go with it. Obama doesn't seem intent on releasing any of these detainees anytime soon so he will merely be moving them to our other secret prisons around the world.

 

I agree that the key will be what he does with the detainees going forward. I'll give Obama credit for destroying the fascist symbol, though, simply because it's nice (although one would hope he would do this).

I know I will cause some people here to roll their eyes but I really can't give Obama much credit and praise for this. This is nothing but a feel-good political ploy that aims to destroy a fascist symbol leftover from the Bush administration but there is little indication that actual policy will change. The symbolic institution of Guantanamo Bay might now be phased out but that does not immediately imply that the practice will go with it. Obama doesn't seem intent on releasing any of these detainees anytime soon so he will merely be moving them to our other secret prisons around the world.

Obama could cure cancer and you would still have him as a motherf***er in your book.

I'll admit that I wasn't very happy on November 4th, but now that the man is in office, I'm beginning to believe that he really can deliver on a good percentage of his promises. Even if a majority of Gitmo's prisoners will be moved to other prisons (as was suggested above), its eventual closure is still a good thing.

I know I will cause some people here to roll their eyes but I really can't give Obama much credit and praise for this. This is nothing but a feel-good political ploy that aims to destroy a fascist symbol leftover from the Bush administration but there is little indication that actual policy will change. The symbolic institution of Guantanamo Bay might now be phased out but that does not immediately imply that the practice will go with it. Obama doesn't seem intent on releasing any of these detainees anytime soon so he will merely be moving them to our other secret prisons around the world.

Obama could cure cancer and you would still have him as a motherf***er in your book.

Well after listening to his inauguration speech it is pretty clear that He will solve all our problems other than perhaps curing cancer.

 

While it is clear you are just a biased Obama lover your personal attack is not warranted. I may not think highly about Obama but at least I attempt to supply rational and detailed explanations (such as I did above) as to why I find him to be a subpar and disappointing political leader. Why do I deserve the heat for holding these positions (with explication, mind you)? Just because I am a voice of dissent and stand on the other side of the river? Just because I am a free-thinking individual who has enough intellectual capacity to see through this man? Show me one irrational criticism I've made of Barack Obama.

 

It may be premature in your eyes but why do the millions of people already coronating the man after five days in office deserve any more credence? Just because they are optimistic? Optimism means nothing if it comes from the mouth of those who do not follow the issues and show any desire to actually think for themselves. There have actually been people interviewed who think that Obama is going to solve their mortgage and fuel cost problems. These are the people who should be criticizing. Or perhaps the people partying in the streets to celebrate the inauguration of a man who has not yet accomplished one thing as president.

 

Funny how dissent is no longer Patriotic isn't it :) It is scary to see whether you supported Obama or not how there currently is no apparatus in place to critically examine anything the current administration is doing . The Republican Party is weak and truth be told does not have the ability to obstruct legislation . The media has not been critical of Obama's policy ideas during the democratic primary or the general election. I do not think that is going to change. What we are left with is a charismatic leader who more or less has carte blanche to do what he wants and devoted group of followers ready to marginalize opposition by any means necessary.

I know I will cause some people here to roll their eyes but I really can't give Obama much credit and praise for this. This is nothing but a feel-good political ploy that aims to destroy a fascist symbol leftover from the Bush administration but there is little indication that actual policy will change. The symbolic institution of Guantanamo Bay might now be phased out but that does not immediately imply that the practice will go with it. Obama doesn't seem intent on releasing any of these detainees anytime soon so he will merely be moving them to our other secret prisons around the world.

Obama could cure cancer and you would still have him as a motherf***er in your book.

 

While it is clear you are just a biased Obama lover your personal attack is not warranted. I may not think highly about Obama but at least I attempt to supply rational and detailed explanations (such as I did above) as to why I find him to be a subpar and disappointing political leader. Why do I deserve the heat for holding these positions (with explication, mind you)? Just because I am a voice of dissent and stand on the other side of the river? Just because I am a free-thinking individual who has enough intellectual capacity to see through this man?

How is that clear? If I call a Yankees fan a douche, does that make me clearly a biased Red Sox fan?

 

And you catch my heat for beating the dead horse at every possible opportunity. Give it a rest sometimes.

penguino is absolutely right, you guys are just too blinded by Obama's persona to be able to see it. My platoon nabbed 4 taliban operatives (one of whom was from chechnya), turned them over to our HET guys, and they're at GITMO right now. There are no innocent men there and GITMO is no different than any other international military prison, it's just the news media decided to put it all over the news so people think it's a big deal and it's not. If it closes then every prisoner there will just be transferred to another prison and nothing will change except a bunch of blind liberals feeling good about themselves when the reality is there are hundreds of GITMO's all over the world that are no different and these prisoners will now be living in far worse conditions than they were before because the news media will no longer be watching them 24/7 like they were at GITMO. You got one detention facility closed out of hundreds - good job you really made a difference in the lives of terrorists. Fact of the matter is places like GITMO exist, need to exist, and will always exist. Closing GITMO is no different than banning guns, allowing gays in the military, etc. They're just feel good laws when in reality accomplish absolutely nothing.

penguino is absolutely right, you guys are just too blinded by Obama's persona to be able to see it. My platoon nabbed 4 taliban operatives (one of whom was from chechnya), turned them over to our HET guys, and they're at GITMO right now. There are no innocent men there and GITMO is no different than any other international military prison, it's just the news media decided to put it all over the news so people think it's a big deal and it's not. If it closes then every prisoner there will just be transferred to another prison and nothing will change except a bunch of blind liberals feeling good about themselves when the reality is there are hundreds of GITMO's all over the world that are no different and these prisoners will now be living in far worse conditions than they were before because the news media will no longer be watching them 24/7 like they were at GITMO. You got one detention facility closed out of hundreds - good job you really made a difference in the lives of terrorists. Fact of the matter is places like GITMO exist, need to exist, and will always exist. Closing GITMO is no different than banning guns, allowing gays in the military, etc. They're just feel good laws when in reality accomplish absolutely nothing.

"gitmo" goes against everything we stand for as a country...and irregardless of the fact that these people are not american citizens, it does not mean we have the right to do with as we please...

 

if you start a war, fight it to win...which is clearly what we didnt do in iraq...but we are staying the course in afghanistan and pakistan which i think is a good thing...

 

and closing "gitmo" will do a tremendous amount of good for us in the eyes of the world...it shows that we are ending this silly war on terror and beginning a war on those who wish to do us harm...and there is a clear difference between the two

 

at the very least...closing these cia bulls*** prisons will start us on the true path or peace...which is re-education...which is the best, non-violent method of dealing with these people

but we are staying the course in afghanistan and pakistan which i think is a good thing...

Why?

because this is where a vast amount of american dissent in the world can be found, as well as those who wish us harm...am i advocating staying there to rebuild the country when we are "done" there? hardly...in fact...i think thats a dumb idea...what ever happened to the america that just liked to blow sh*t up and leave once the fire died?

but we are staying the course in afghanistan and pakistan which i think is a good thing...

Why?

because this is where a vast amount of american dissent in the world can be found, as well as those who wish us harm...am i advocating staying there to rebuild the country when we are "done" there? hardly...in fact...i think thats a dumb idea...what ever happened to the america that just liked to blow sh*t up and leave once the fire died?

Did you ever consider the possibility that our very presence and tendency to "build" these nations is why our country is resented around the world? Why do these people wish us harm? Have you ever read Osama Bin Laden's declarations of war against the United States (pre 9/11)?

 

Do we have the money to rebuild a country thousands of miles from our shores when we have countless domestic problems? When we are running a 10 trillion dollar deficit?

 

Why doesn't Switzerland need to build these nations to ensure its safety?

 

What are the conditions for victory in Afghanistan?

if you could read...you would be able to see that im NOT advocating the building of islamic democracies...no no no no no

 

and i did a 50 page report on al-qaeda back in college...their main purpose is taking our boots off of their land...which i have no problem with whatsoever...ive made the analogy of throwing rocks at bee hives for quite some time on here and it applies as much today as it did then...

 

right now...we are bombing suspected terrorist strongholds in the region trying to get as many of them as we can...which isnt a wholely awful plan...i think re-education is a better tactic, but then again...i dont have trillions of dollars of toys to play with either...

 

and again...countries like switzerland dont have a military complex...since the dawn of this country...if we fear something, we kill it...thats the way it has always been...when we figure out how to try to get over that problem, maybe we can start on solving some of these domestic problems which you mention...SUCH AS MOTHER-f***ING GLOBAL WARMING!!!

 

sorry, penguino had to get that out of my system...anyways...personally...i think the conditions of victory in afghanistan is a big ass pile of dead terrorists and a little peace and quiet...and while that answer sounds juvenile...remember...all Obama has to do is make us think he has won...and he has...because you could sell beachfront property in colorado to americans and they will buy it in a second flat...which is why instead of pouring trillions into the iraqi toilet, we should have been spending the money on educating the generations behind us to question every little thing anyone says

maybe we can start on solving some of these domestic problems which you mention...SUCH AS MOTHER-f***ING GLOBAL WARMING!!!

 

 

I'd love to know how you came to the conclusion that global warming is a domestic problem?

maybe we can start on solving some of these domestic problems which you mention...SUCH AS MOTHER-f***ING GLOBAL WARMING!!!

 

 

I'd love to know how you came to the conclusion that global warming is a domestic problem?

that is humorous.

maybe we can start on solving some of these domestic problems which you mention...SUCH AS MOTHER-f***ING GLOBAL WARMING!!!

 

 

I'd love to know how you came to the conclusion that global warming is a domestic problem?

domestic=our problem

 

global=everyone's problem

 

are we a part of everyone? i think we are...make sense to you?

maybe we can start on solving some of these domestic problems which you mention...SUCH AS MOTHER-f***ING GLOBAL WARMING!!!

 

 

I'd love to know how you came to the conclusion that global warming is a domestic problem?

domestic=our problem

 

global=everyone's problem

 

are we a part of everyone? i think we are...make sense to you?

 

I think I'd need an ounce of weed to understand this...

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