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Blanche,
I am willing to let the world say what they want about the US; it's not liike they love us to death anyway. I am for keeping all of these guy in detention forever if that's what it takes. I imagine there is the possiblity that some of them may not be as bad we think they are. But I really don't care. They are suspect enough in my book to be held for as long as we are fighting terrorism. I might be tempted to let one or two go every now and then if people like you and Professor would be willing to vouch for them.
posted by
sarooster
on February 19, 2006 at 4:58 AM
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Sarooster,
Back in the fear frenzy after 9-11, don't you think it's possible that the CIA and the Army were a little trigger-happy to round up anyone who looked Middle Eastern? So, there is a reasonable possibility that any number of those "potential terrorists" as Burly calls them may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and there are innocent people sitting in limbo in Guantanamo (I can't call it Gitmo, it's just too fuzzy and cute).
Looking at it from the UN and the world's perspective, the US looks like the world's biggest 800 pound gorilla, we're going to arrest anybody, anytime, anywhere and do anything we want to them, because we can. It's not an effective means of getting information, whatever they know is 3 years out of date. You're probably right, they do need to be held indefinitely because if they weren't terrorists going in, they sure are now that they're pissed off for being held for 3 years.
I believe in a God of justice, righteousness and personal responsibility, and I can't believe that there is any justice in creating a kind of Devil's Island (the French penal colony that Steve McQueen's character in Butterfly escaped from).
posted by
Blanche.
on February 18, 2006 at 10:57 PM
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Professor,
Don't really care! I am not working about the rule of law when it comes to these guys down there. They don't give a rats ass about law and such. So they can sit and rot until we decide what to do with them. Let me sit on the jury and I think they would all much rather be where they are now.
posted by
sarooster
on February 18, 2006 at 10:28 PM
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Keee-rist!
We've had them in custody for what, 3 years now? We look incredibly bad. You seem so sure that these are "bad guys". Based on what? So, as the baseball players always say, "Play me or trade me!" Put them on trial, convict them and send them to a real jail. This limbo-like island detention center is an embarrassment to this country. We mouth words like "democracy" and "rule of law", yet we seem to be afraid of even putting these people in front of a military tribunal, which has fewer protections than a court martial and waaaaaaaay fewer than a criminal trial. May I remind you, (AGAIN) that these people have been convicted of NOTHING, charged with NOTHING and most haven't even spoken to a lawyer. Why are we afraid of letting the UN even talk to them? Sure some of them will lie, but does that mean we don't listen to ANY of them?
posted by
Professor_Peabody
on February 18, 2006 at 9:17 PM
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Professor,
I can bet that would have been some great interviews. You reckon those guys would have told the UN the truth to begin with. I will never waver and I am like Burly; these guys need to be locked up and left down there until we determine they are Ok to let go. I think anyone who thinks these guys have any rights whatsoever needs a mental evaluation. The only good thing for this bunch down there is that I am not the warden.
posted by
sarooster
on February 18, 2006 at 4:50 PM
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BTW
The UN turned down the invite because we refuse to let them actually speak to prisoners. All the information gleaned was from previous reports (like the Red Cross's) and their lawyers. It was reminiscent of that scene in Stalag 17, where the Nazis made a big show of issuing blankets and pea soup "mit Hamhocks". Of course, the blankets still smelled of mothballs, and the hamhocks were invisible to the naked eye.
Burlyman: If these guys are such obvious terrorists, why don't we try some of them? It should be a slam-dunk. But unless tried & convicted, be honest and admit they are, at best, suspected terrorists. Does anyone know how many of the hundreds held there have actually been brought to trial (more accurately, to a military tribunal)? Continuing to hold them in limbo just makes the US look bad, and breeds more hatred & contempt (and MORE terrorists).
posted by
Professor_Peabody
on February 18, 2006 at 4:39 PM
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A great comment Burly!
We are going to stay the course here. The UN and the rest of the world will never convince us to let these guys go.
posted by
sarooster
on February 18, 2006 at 2:52 PM
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sarooster
The inmates at Guantanamo are hard-core terrorists who would be back in the fight in an instant if they were let go! We seem to be in this battle all by ourselves! The rest of the world is oblivious to the dangers of Islamo-fascism which is as sinister and threatening as was Naziism in the 30's.
posted by
Burly
on February 18, 2006 at 1:41 PM
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