Closing Gitmo would send powerful message

It’s good that Barack Obama’s advisers are already working on plans to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. The detention facility and the legal limbo of its detainees have undermined the United State’s human-rights standing. But closing the facility — which Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have also reportedly supported — is complicated. The Obama team must decide what to do with the detainees and how and where to try some of them. But closing the facility will send a powerful message of change to the world.

69 Comments

  1. JWink
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 5:43 am | Permalink

    They will probably be sent to one of the two federal prisons in Leavenworth, Kansas.

  2. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:07 am | Permalink

    Where with their superpowers, they’ll menace us more than the murderers and rapists already there?

  3. Jed
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:11 am | Permalink

    I suppose we could reopen one of the old WWII POW camps we had here in Kansas.

  4. Maggotpunk
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:26 am | Permalink

    Perhaps Gitmo should remain open. Sure we can take the foreign civilian inmates out but perhaps they should be replaced by these bank CEOs that bilked the taxpayers out of billions?

  5. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:30 am | Permalink

    Or we could make it into a museum, like those German concentration camps?

  6. Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:33 am | Permalink

    Maybe they would feel more at home at Sherrif Joe’s place in Arizona?? :-)

  7. Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:38 am | Permalink

    That might work good, Maggot, but they would need to keep Abramhoff out of there… He would start lobbying to get them out, but then keep all the money!!

  8. JWink
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 6:42 am | Permalink

    Beber: Murderers and rapists generally go to state prisons of which there are several in Leavenworth/Lansing, Eldorado, and various other locations in Kansas. The Federal prisons are generally for people who violate federal laws, kidnapping, fraud, or military laws. Leavenworth has two federal prisons, the famous one for federal prisoners and the one on the grounds of Ft. Leavenworth for military prisoners.

    Since Leavenworth and Lansing (the towns are adjacent) have trained personnel and facilities, which probably would have to be added to, it seems like this location might be a good possibility. Would add to employment in Kansas.

  9. george
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 7:15 am | Permalink

    I don’t like the idea of letting more killers in the USA. All it takes is letting loose one because of some friendly lawyers, to repeat and kill again.

  10. Raptor
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 7:18 am | Permalink

    Yep..closing Gitmo will send a message, alright. And the message is: “Plot to destroy the United States and be sent to a country club, with golf, tennis courts, and private rooms.” Heck of a message to send…

    Granted, not all federal prisons are like that, but some (specifically Lompoc, Danberry and a few others) are pretty posh. Just the way to ‘punish’ those who have sworn to kill any and all Americans because we are ‘infidels’.

  11. george
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 7:26 am | Permalink

    Interesting article about the terrorists in Gitmo.
    http://www.nypost.com/seven/11122008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/gitmos_big_headaches_for_bam_138263.htm

  12. StevenEDavis
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:11 am | Permalink

    A quote from george’s link:

    “Many detainees have affirmed their desire to continue in the al Qaeda cause and have repeatedly told interrogators that they wish to kill Americans and destroy our system.”

    My question: how smart can these detainees be who would repeatedly make such statements to their captors? Not very, I would contend.

  13. Raptor
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:16 am | Permalink

    Steven….how ’smart’ do they have to be to believe if they blow themselves up they will be rewarded with 70 virgins or somesuch nonsense? How ’smart’ do they have to be to believe Allah demands all infidels be put to death? How ’smart’ do they have to be to call 9 year old girls martyrs that blow themselves up in their quest to kill?

    The point is..they are not smart at all, but totally committed to causing the death of as many ‘infidels’ as they can. And since they are willing to die to further their cause, I seriously doubt normal prisons are equipped to handle them.

  14. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:26 am | Permalink

    “Steven….how ’smart’ do they have to be to believe if they blow themselves up they will be rewarded with 70 virgins or somesuch nonsense? How ’smart’ do they have to be to believe Allah demands all infidels be put to death? How ’smart’ do they have to be to call 9 year old girls martyrs that blow themselves up in their quest to kill?” — the wefu

    How smart do you have to be to believe that after death you’ll be blissfully wallowing at the feet of Jesus? It’s exactly the same thing.

  15. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:26 am | Permalink

    However, given the choice of 50 virgins or the feet of Jesus, I know what I’d pick.

  16. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:32 am | Permalink

    What is the budget for the facility at Gitmo? Only 210 prisoners are left, I heard on the radio yesterday. Well, I’d bet it’s costing us about a million a year to imprison each detainee there. As for the possiblity that one will get sprung and kill some people, well life is tough. People leave prison every year who kill people later. That’s just the way it is. I suspect that many murderers would have never killed, had they never been in prison. It brutalizes certain people.

  17. Raptor
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:42 am | Permalink

    I fail to see the comparison between the Jesus religious stuff and the terrorists.

    Let’s see…”salvation” thru repenting your sins or blowing up innocent people.

    “salvation” by beheading journalists or asking forgivness?

    yeah..riiight. Same thing exactly. Yep…uh huh…and what are you smoking this morning?

  18. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:56 am | Permalink

    As usual Raptor, you’re too stupid to grasp the point. Anyone who believes he can be rewarded in an afterlife by an act on Earth essentially believes in the same thing. Besides, the Muslims are acting in accordance with their own teachings, no less ridiculous than the fairy tail you believe in.

  19. Raptor
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:13 am | Permalink

    Did I say anything at all about anything I believe in? No, I did not, so get off your high horse and quit judging others when you are clueless about their beliefs.

  20. Maggotpunk
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:24 am | Permalink

    800 overseas bases, it’d be nice to start with this one. I’m sure Cuba can take care of itself and doesn’t need U.S. protection. Then again, we’re wasting billions of jets that can’t fly, missile defense shields in Europe and spacecraft that will defend against alien attack.

  21. GunhugnGodNut
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:54 am | Permalink

    Send them all back where they came from, strapped to a missile for speedy delivery…

  22. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    If these Gitmo prisoners are guilty, then why haven’t they been tried yet? They’ve been there for several years and yet no trial?

    This, in itself, makes us look like the bad guy. Closing Gitmo will send a message that we do believe in a democracy that is based on laws.

    Actions speak louder than words. It is time for the US to show we really do believe in what we preach.

  23. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    If these Gitmo prisoners are guilty, then why haven’t they been tried yet? They’ve been there for several years and yet no trial?

    This, in itself, makes us look like the bad guy. Closing Gitmo will send a message that we do believe in a democracy that is based on laws.

    Actions speak louder than words. It is time for the US to show we really do believe in what we preach.

  24. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:56 am | Permalink

    sorry for double post….

  25. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:58 am | Permalink

    irreducible complexity is an oxy-moron. think about it.

  26. Posted November 12, 2008 at 10:02 am | Permalink

    Obama should look at which state voted the most for McCain–probably Arkansas–and send them there.

  27. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 10:02 am | Permalink

    Raptor
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 8:42 am | Permalink
    I fail to see the comparison between the Jesus religious stuff and the terrorists.

    Let’s see…”salvation” thru repenting your sins or blowing up innocent people.

    “salvation” by beheading journalists or asking forgivness?

    yeah..riiight. Same thing exactly. Yep…uh huh…and what are you smoking this morning?

    There have been Christian terrorists in the US. What about the anti-abortion bomber? Didn’t he blow innocent people up? How many lynchings of blacks were done in the South by so-called Christian people? How many bombings of black shools or churches has happened by so-called Christian people?

    So don’t try to pretend that Christians are without their own particular set of terrorists.

    Terrorism comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.

  28. Maggotpunk
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 10:04 am | Permalink

    “Obama should look at which state voted the most for McCain–probably Arkansas–and send them there.”

    It would be Utah with the highest percentage going to McCain. The same state where the Mormon church thought it great to force divorce upon 18,000 people (the same church that has a history of racism).

  29. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 10:04 am | Permalink

    “Obama should look at which state voted the most for McCain–probably Arkansas–and send them there.”

    that would be oklahoma

  30. Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:05 am | Permalink

    I fail to see the comparison between the Jesus religious stuff and the terrorists.

    And I fail to see the comparison between terrorists and people who haven’t even been charged with a crime.

    It will be interesting to see how many of those left at Gitmo were actually involved in terrorism. Though perhaps the hundreds released without charge (after years of captivity and torture), have, by sheer volume of numbers, finally left behind a majority of actual terrorists.

    But we won’t know until someone actually takes an interest in finding that out–something, incredibly (and tragically) we didn’t see at Gitmo the past 7 years.

  31. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:12 am | Permalink

    Gitmo Solutions:

    Kill all the prisoners, then close the prison.

    Problem solved. Message Sent.

  32. lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:24 am | Permalink

    “It will be interesting to see how many of those left at Gitmo were actually involved in terrorism. Though perhaps the hundreds released without charge (after years of captivity and torture), have, by sheer volume of numbers, finally left behind a majority of actual terrorists.”

    It is sad the numbers that may have been introduced to terrorism by their imprisonment at Gitmo. Every MISguided move of this unnecessary war on terrorism has made our world less safe.

  33. Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:28 am | Permalink

    Kill all the prisoners, then close the prison.

    You know, we have overcrowded prisons in the US, and those people have actually been convicted.

    A modest proposal.

    What do you think, ANTI? Kill ‘em all? Turn San Quentin into an amusement park? Leavenworth as a hotel?

    And hell, don’t bother with burying them, the scum! That’s lots of free food (and protein!) for the poor, at no taxpayer expense!

  34. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:36 am | Permalink

    The people who support Bush and Gitmo are the same people who thought we could invade Iraq and take over the control of the oil without any consequences.

    How’s that working for us?

  35. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:36 am | Permalink

    Ha! Rage I liked where you were going but you lost me at “That’s lots of free food (and protein!) for the poor, at no taxpayer expense!”

    But seriously, I was not advocating killing US Citizens.

  36. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:37 am | Permalink

    take over the control of the oil without any consequences.
    =================

    What?

  37. Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:41 am | Permalink

    But seriously, I was not advocating killing US Citizens.

    I’m sure our allies will take great comfort in that.

    America: Where you can be killed without trial if yer a damn ferner!

    Fortunately, not even McCain agreed with your bigoted stupidity. Your time ended with 2006 elections.

  38. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:49 am | Permalink

    Fortunately, not even McCain agreed with your bigoted stupidity. Your time ended with 2006 elections.
    ————————–

    I don’t agree with McCain. What gave you that idea.

    I think a message of ‘Don’t fuk with us’ is in order.

    Why am I a bigot for wanting the people who plot and kill Americans to be destroyed? Why do you think they deserve better?

  39. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:54 am | Permalink

    Your time ended with 2006 elections.
    =========

    It did?

    Huh, my watch is still ticking.

  40. lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:55 am | Permalink

    “Why am I a bigot for wanting the people who plot and kill Americans to be destroyed?”

    Is that what they will be charged with? It’s about time charges were brought!

  41. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 12:23 pm | Permalink

    There have been Christian terrorists in the US. What about the anti-abortion bomber? Didn’t he blow innocent people up? How many lynchings of blacks were done in the South by so-called Christian people? How many bombings of black shools or churches has happened by so-called Christian people?

    So don’t try to pretend that Christians are without their own particular set of terrorists.

    Terrorism comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.

    ———————
    Only the left would call Christian terrorists. Well lets see you the UNI bomber Ted Whatshisnname, all of the PETA terrorists, those environmentalists wackos that have burned huge homes, and many more.

    How many years did you go back to dig up the black bombings. You obviously don’t know the history of the civil rights movement or you would have left that one alone.

    What prez pushed it, what party – that wouldn’t be the democrat, what environmentalists wacko father voted against it- that would be algore? The dems in the south were very much against civil rights. Look at Robert KKK Byrd, a democrat.

    Don’t try to pretend the liberal left is without its own terrorists. You need to study the history of your own party before throwing stones.

    If you guys weren’t so scary you would be funny. Thankfully Obama has realized that many of the executive orders Bush signed were made to keep
    the country safe and he won’t be overturning them any time soon.

    These 210 people are in prison because they have used aggression against our country in one form or another. Sure turn them loose. Round up some democrats to be their escorts and house them with them. This would serve two purposes.

  42. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 12:27 pm | Permalink

    Linda maybe you could open your doors to these poor prisoners. They need someone who is capable of seeing their sides and I am sure you can handle that. Save your country some money in the process. They are so harmless lets just house them in private homes. Some democrat needs to start a sign up sheet. If Linda takes one you only need 209 more homes.

  43. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 12:34 pm | Permalink

    Linda, when you ‘Adopt a Terrorist’ I have some advice.

    1. Hide all knives

    2. Wear a heavy steel collar around your neck. (See #1)

    3. Find new ways to use your left hand.

    4. You are now a Muslim, if you wish to breath.

    5. You are a woman, so shut up and cover your entire body with clothing!

  44. lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 12:54 pm | Permalink

    Hey Anti, I’m just glad they will finally be charged — as I said, it’s about time. I don’t know where you go any of the rest of that. Oh, I see now. It was made up by the poster before you! Always consider the source!

  45. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:01 pm | Permalink

    Hey Anti, I’m just glad they will finally be charged
    ————

    Fine. Charge the prisoners (terrorist), kill them, then close the prison.

    Problem solved. Message sent.

    Sorry Linda, I got caught up reading the ‘fascinating’ great moon debate on the open thread.

  46. beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:10 pm | Permalink

    Granny, if a liberal said his dick was bigger than yours you’d argue it was smaller, even though you don’t have one.

    Fact: the Ku Klux Klan is and was a Christian terrorist organization or at least, a terrorist organization composed of Christians. They just killed a woman yesterday, I believe.

  47. lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:23 pm | Permalink

    Sorry Linda, I got caught up reading the ‘fascinating’ great moon debate on the open thread. — Anti
    ———-

    I skimmed that argument. Wouldn’t have done any good to actually read it as it’s soooo far above my limited knowledge. Was it you, Anti, who mentioned disliking math with letters? The was one post I understood. ;-(

  48. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:25 pm | Permalink

    Was it you, Anti, who mentioned disliking math with letters?
    ===========

    Yes, I was hit in the head with a shovel as a child… Ain’t got to good of smarts!

  49. lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:38 pm | Permalink

    Anti, I am a bum. Once I retired I found I am so good at it! All those years I never guessed it was my true calling, the one area I’m totally prepared for. I dare say I am an expert lounger! I don’t remember being a true expert at anything during my years of employment. ;-)

  50. Regular
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:06 pm | Permalink

    Bullet in the brain while in the field. Less expensive and the whiny-pants Libs can’t flail about of how an armed terrorist was ‘resisting.’

  51. SolDevVB
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:16 pm | Permalink

    Regular
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:06 pm | Permalink

    Heeeeeeeeeeeee’s BACK !!!

    What happened with your eye?

  52. SolDevVB
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:17 pm | Permalink

    damnit. didn’t close my bold tag…

  53. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:20 pm | Permalink

    beber
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 1:10 pm | Permalink
    Granny, if a liberal said his dick was bigger than yours you’d argue it was smaller, even though you don’t have one.

    Fact: the Ku Klux Klan is and was a Christian terrorist organization or at least, a terrorist organization composed of Christians. They just killed a woman yesterday, I believe.

    ———————
    Well Beber you are always just a fountain of information. I didn’t say if they were Christian or not. I said they were democrat back during the civil rights movements.

  54. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:26 pm | Permalink

    lindainks55
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:24 am | Permalink
    “It will be interesting to see how many of those left at Gitmo were actually involved in terrorism. Though perhaps the hundreds released without charge (after years of captivity and torture), have, by sheer volume of numbers, finally left behind a majority of actual terrorists.”

    It is sad the numbers that may have been introduced to terrorism by their imprisonment at Gitmo. Every MISguided move of this unnecessary war on terrorism has made our world less safe.

    ————————
    Linda I just love your little ms innocent act. Lord as if you didn’t call over 50million people stupid. As if you without spending a day in an intelligence briefing know that know that those being held are innocent. As if you know those “that may have been introduced to terrorism by their imprisonment at Gitmo”. As if you are a master historian who knows that this was was unnecessary war. As if you know that the world is less safe because of it.

    Well you know you might be smarter than I give you credit for but I doubt it.

  55. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:30 pm | Permalink

    Regular
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:06 pm | Permalink
    Bullet in the brain while in the field. Less expensive and the whiny-pants Libs can’t flail about of how an armed terrorist was ‘resisting.’

    —————–
    Oh but Reg you know they are pseudo citizens and we have to mirandize them first. The supremes said so. Even if you see them kill one of our soldiers. The bleeding heart liberals wouldn’t understand shooting them in the field. John Murtha and Obama would be railing about our soldiers raiding villiages, killing civilians and raping Iraqi women. These are the ’smart’ people talking.

  56. Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:35 pm | Permalink

    That’s right, folks, argue by hysteria, since the facts are unimportant. It worked so well during the election. Keep it up!

  57. Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:44 pm | Permalink

    Sol, Reg posted earlier that he indeed had a stroke.

    If that’s true, I wouldn’t recommend hanging around here. . .

  58. SolDevVB
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 2:47 pm | Permalink

    Dang.

  59. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 3:15 pm | Permalink

    Rage with a name like that and you are talking about hysteria.

    Fact Rage this was the democrat race to lose. With an unpopular war and an economy that was sinking it should have been an Obama shoein. It came right down to the wire with less that a 10% spread in the week before the election.

    Obama won fair and square and I have said I will support his positions if they are sound ones and rail against those that aren’t. Listening to the left on here has just about changed my mind.

    If ever a group of people didn’t know how to win it would be the left on this blog. You would think we were still having an election. They treated Bush crappy for 8 years and now are still nipping at the conservatives. What do you guys do for fun?

  60. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 3:26 pm | Permalink

    What do you guys do for fun?
    ————

    They watch Mexican bull fights on acid.

  61. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 3:32 pm | Permalink

    Anti I have heard BJ go on for days how much fun they have when they get together. All I see them do here day after day is run someone or other down. Of course he has told me over and over again about how stupid they think I am so I have to assume they run the conservatives down so they can find something to talk about. I hardly ever see a positive post from any of them. This is a sick way to have fun and if this is their idea of fun they can have it.

  62. SolDevVB
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 3:33 pm | Permalink

    They watch Mexican bull fights on acid.

    Tried that. Didn’t like it much. Took me a week to get back to the hotel.

  63. ANTI
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 3:52 pm | Permalink

    You are right, Okob.

    You are not stupid.

    Don’t let the freaks get to you, they enjoy it too much!

  64. Posted November 12, 2008 at 7:50 pm | Permalink

    Using the Gitmo base to detain terrorists has always struck me as a stroke of genius. First of all it is out of reach of the ACLU wack jobs and all the other bleeding heart left wing lawyers that would have flocked to any State side prison to defend these cut throats and murderers. Second it helped point out that real prison is the rest of that island outside the fences of Gitmo.

    That is why Obummer will close the joint as soon as he can.

  65. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:38 pm | Permalink

    Okie – the Christians terrorists I spoke of in lynching the blacks in the south and bombing and burning the black shools and churches were the modern-day Radical Right Wing of the GOP Party.

    Back in the 50’s these so-called Christians were in the Democrat Party but they felt betrayed by the Democrats embracing the Civil Rights Movement and ran over to the Republican Party for cover!

    And guess what – they are still in your party and are now called the Radical Right or Religious Right Wing of the Republican Party.

    If you doubt that, just take an objective listen to all the so-called Religious Right’s name calling of Obama. This group is still just as racist – be it black or Muslim.

    Okie – maybe you need to look into a mirror and take an objective look???

  66. mom
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 9:44 pm | Permalink

    On second thought, Okie, don’t look into a mirror – I wouldn’t want you to have nightmares.

  67. okobserver
    Posted November 12, 2008 at 10:02 pm | Permalink

    Mom you have a good night and we can talk tomorrow who the right might trade off. I like Birch Byah a lot. We might trade you McCain. He couldn’t control his staff and is a little further left than I like.

    This doesn’t mean that you can go back and chance history though. They were yours and you get to keep them, even Al Gore Senior.

    Your party keeps trying to give us Fred Phelps and we don’t want him either.

  68. Posted November 12, 2008 at 11:08 pm | Permalink

    “okobserver” –

    As long as you Republic Party sheeple trot out stuff like –

    “Your party keeps trying to give us Fred Phelps…”, you have to own and embrace David Duke.

    Which means you — applying the Republic Party William Ayers Measurement — are a Ku Klux Klansman (Klanswoman? Just how politically correct does the Klan get these days?)

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