Guantanamo judge refuses Obama's request for delay

[Angel Heart]

Guantanamo judge refuses Obama's request for delay | Reuters

Guantanamo judge refuses Obama's request for delay
Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:38pm EST

MIAMI, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The chief judge for the Guantanamo war crimes court on Thursday refused U.S. President Barack Obama's request to delay court proceedings against a prisoner charged with plotting an attack that killed 17 U.S. sailors.

Hours after taking office last week, Obama ordered Guantanamo prosecutors to seek 120-day delays in all pending cases in order to give his new administration time to decide whether to scrap the trials.

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[WillowTree]

 

[toomuchtime_]

Guantanamo judge refuses Obama's request for delay | Reuters

Guantanamo judge refuses Obama's request for delay
Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:38pm EST

MIAMI, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The chief judge for the Guantanamo war crimes court on Thursday refused U.S. President Barack Obama's request to delay court proceedings against a prisoner charged with plotting an attack that killed 17 U.S. sailors.

Hours after taking office last week, Obama ordered Guantanamo prosecutors to seek 120-day delays in all pending cases in order to give his new administration time to decide whether to scrap the trials.

More....

I understand Obama had to issue the executive order to close Gitmo within a year in order to make good on his campaign promise, but the judge is correct in stating that the requested delay does not serve the cause of justice; in fact it was only issued to serve the cause of keeping the President's poll ratings high. After all, why issue the order to close Gitmo now if you don't know what you are going to do with the prisoners and why stop the military commissions if you don't know what you are going to replace them with? And if Obama does know, why not tell the judge, and the rest of us, so that he can see the cause of justice would be served by granting the requested delay? Politics, in this case keeping the President's poll ratings high, is important to governing, but it should never be the sole basis for making important decisions.