The Dangers Of Closing Gitmo

[Bonnie]

The misguided chants continue.

The retreat is on. Even Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel (Nebraska) and Mel Martinez (Florida) are scurrying along with the panicked pack calling on the U.S. to close its detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.


Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden (Delaware) has been a leader of what should be loosely called the “Release Suspected Terrorists Now!” caucus. Biden says everyone should be let go from Gitmo — except, in a crucial caveat, “Those we have reason to keep, keep.” Ah, there’s the rub.

We captured more than 10,000 people in Afghanistan. Roughly 750 ended up at Gitmo — exactly because we had reason to keep them. The number now is down to 500, as cases are constantly reviewed. Unfortunately, the release process isn’t perfect. Two former detainees were killed in fighting in Afghanistan last year, and another was picked up in a raid on a terrorist training camp. A former detainee in Pakistan was suspected of involvement in the deadly kidnapping of two Chinese engineers.

Does Biden favor recapturing those ex-Gitmo detainees, and if so, where would we put them? Where is he suggesting we “keep” all the Gitmo detainees we have now? If there weren’t Gitmo, they would have to be held somewhere very like Gitmo — unless Biden wants to move them to a penitentiary in his home state of Delaware and afford them rights of American criminal defendants.

Which would effectively mean releasing them. Without Miranda warnings and all the rest of it, Gitmo defendants would very likely escape criminal charges on procedural grounds. Indeed, under our legal system, they would have reason to sue the U.S. government for unlawful imprisonment. In the Gitmo panic, the U.S. is taking a step toward becoming the first country in world history to prove itself incapable of the elemental act of self-defense of simply detaining its enemies.

The close-Gitmo crowd says Gitmo has bad p.r. “It’s become an icon for bad stories,” says Martinez. Of course it has — because people lie about it. Amnesty International calls it a “gulag.” The foreign press makes up lurid tales about it. Newsweek falsely reports that Gitmo guards flushed a Koran down a toilet. Martinez himself would be an icon for bad stories if international organizations and the press spread falsehoods about him.

The U.S. has nothing to be ashamed of. As Rep. Duncan Hunter (R., Calif.), has pointed out, this last Sunday detainees were served orange-glazed chicken, steamed peas and mushrooms, and rice pilaf for dinner — better fare than many U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Detainees are issued Korans and surgical masks in which to hang the holy books in their cells to keep them off the ground.

The call to prayer goes out five times a day, and detainees are instructed how to face toward Mecca. Guards are forbidden from walking in certain areas during prayer time, because the squeaking of their shoes might distract the detainees. They get excellent medical care. One released detainee had records showing he got psychological counseling for “life circumstances issues.”

more

http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200506140758.asp

 

[Gabriella84]

My simple question is, why is the United States of America running a concentration camp? That's exactly what it is. We are confining people who have not been charged with a crime, refusing to allow them legal representation and subjecting them to the same type of abuse that people have spent decades condemning after Japan and Germany did it in WWII.

 

[theim]

My simple question is, why is the United States of America running a concentration camp? That's exactly what it is. We are confining people who have not been charged with a crime, refusing to allow them legal representation and subjecting them to the same type of abuse that people have spent decades condemning after Japan and Germany did it in WWII.

What abuse? Oh no, guy is having water dumped on him and is forced to have women and dogs close by. I personally get little sleep at night.

 

[Gabriella84]

Doesn't answer my question though. Your lifestyle habits are your own.

 

[Adam's Apple]

My simple question is, why is the United States of America running a concentration camp? That's exactly what it is.

Gitmo is not a concentration camp, as you damn well know, so go spout your leftist propaganda on DU where they can applaud your great insight and brilliance. Since you seem to think the terrorists are being so badly treated, you must be ignorant of the many videos showing their great glee chopping off the heads of innocent people who just happened to be within their grabbing range? I don't believe I have read any posts from you venting your outrage about that. That does outrage you, doesn't it? Well, maybe not because it wasn't Americans committing the beheadings. You should tell your doctor that you need new medication, for whatever he is prescribing now is not curing your delusions. I personally applaud America for its treatment of those detained at Gitmo. You cannot name me one country involved in a war that has treated those captured in battle any better.

 

[CSM]

let's see...a 21 year old Berkeley Psych major from Anaheim....yeah, lots of wisdom in that package!

 

[5stringJeff]

My simple question is, why is the United States of America running a concentration camp? That's exactly what it is. We are confining people who have not been charged with a crime, refusing to allow them legal representation and subjecting them to the same type of abuse that people have spent decades condemning after Japan and Germany did it in WWII.

I would hardly call it a concentration camp. It's more like a POW camp for terrorists. They are still getting three meals a day, freedom to worship according to their doctrine, shelter, health care, etc. It's not like we're starving, gassing, and baking them.

 

[Merlin1047]

My simple question

That much of your post I can agree with. It IS a "simple" question. Simple minded.

 

[Merlin1047]

The misguided chants continue.

more

http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200506140758.asp

To me, one of the biggest dangers in closing Gitmo is that once again, we will be caving in to PC leftist idiots who think that William Kunstler should represent every captured terrorist in an American court. These fools, much like the one in this thread who bemoans this "concentration camp", think that captured enemy combatants have the same rights as citizens of the US.

If we close Gitmo, we will hand them another undeserved victory. Worse, we will reveal ourselves as a pack of weak-willed fools to the very people who seek to destroy us. Hostile muslims throughout the world will see the closure of Gitmo as a victory. Closure of this facility will NOT result in fewer attacks on US forces, it will embolden these idiots and the result will be better terrorist recruiting and ever more attacks.

But folks like Garbledella can't see that far. They filter everything through their little PC funnels and they resent the fact that we might be a little rough on some detainees. They don't seem to mind that lack of intel hurts our troops.

 

[Gabriella84]

I would hardly call it a concentration camp. It's more like a POW camp for terrorists. They are still getting three meals a day, freedom to worship according to their doctrine, shelter, health care, etc. It's not like we're starving, gassing, and baking them.

First of all, who has made the determination that everyone imprisoned at Gitmo is a "terrorist?" Or was it merely an arbitrary decision?
Those who have visited Gitmo might dispute the rest of your statement. The prisoners might not have been gassed, but there is evidence that many have been starved and baked (by the sun and heat).

yeah, lots of wisdom in that package!

Well, at least one of us has to have some. There is precious little elsewhere.

 

[Annie]

First of all, who has made the determination that everyone imprisoned at Gitmo is a "terrorist?" Or was it merely an arbitrary decision?
Those who have visited Gitmo might dispute the rest of your statement. The prisoners might not have been gassed, but there is evidence that many have been starved and baked (by the sun and heat).



Well, at least one of us has to have some. There is precious little elsewhere.

Ok idiot, I do feel we are picking up where we left off:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...soners+field+of+battle&hl=en&client=firefox-a

See, most of the prisoners at Gitmo have been there for quite awhile, CAPTURED ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE, yet without the niceties of rules of engagement:

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21417&page=5&pp=15

especially 5th page.

 

[Bonnie]

To me, one of the biggest dangers in closing Gitmo is that once again, we will be caving in to PC leftist idiots who think that William Kunstler should represent every captured terrorist in an American court. These fools, much like the one in this thread who bemoans this "concentration camp", think that captured enemy combatants have the same rights as citizens of the US.

If we close Gitmo, we will hand them another undeserved victory. Worse, we will reveal ourselves as a pack of weak-willed fools to the very people who seek to destroy us. Hostile muslims throughout the world will see the closure of Gitmo as a victory. Closure of this facility will NOT result in fewer attacks on US forces, it will embolden these idiots and the result will be better terrorist recruiting and ever more attacks.

But folks like Garbledella can't see that far. They filter everything through their little PC funnels and they resent the fact that we might be a little rough on some detainees. They don't seem to mind that lack of intel hurts our troops.

Perfectly stated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bonnie]

That much of your post I can agree with. It IS a "simple" question. Simple minded.

She does have a handicap, or is that handicapable for simple minded people from San Francisco???

 

[Gunny]

My simple question is, why is the United States of America running a concentration camp? That's exactly what it is. We are confining people who have not been charged with a crime, refusing to allow them legal representation and subjecting them to the same type of abuse that people have spent decades condemning after Japan and Germany did it in WWII.

Yeah. It'd be much better if we turned the murdering asshats loose. Why NOT provide replacements for our enemies?

FACT: During ANY war, combatants taken prisoner are imprisoned for the duration. A common practice for any-and-all nations involved in armed conflict.

Are THOSE prisoners throughout history charged with crimes simply for being in the opposing army? Didin't thnk so.

When the war on terror is over, they can turn 'em loose, and I hope the damned plane crashes halfway across the ocean.

 

[5stringJeff]

First of all, who has made the determination that everyone imprisoned at Gitmo is a "terrorist?" Or was it merely an arbitrary decision?
Those who have visited Gitmo might dispute the rest of your statement. The prisoners might not have been gassed, but there is evidence that many have been starved and baked (by the sun and heat).

Kathianne posted what I was going to respond with. Gitmo prisoners have been cuaght red-handed.