Closing Gitmo

Regarding “Ex-diplomats call for closing Gitmo” (3/28, A-14): Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Warren Christopher, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell act like they don’t realize we are still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Releasing prisoners to the battlefield would endanger troops. My two Marine sons could be at risk from this policy.

They say the next president should “move quickly to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay Cuba.” How could a president do this to our troops? Baker said Guantanamo “gives us a very, very bad name.” America’s attackers on 9/11 should have a bad name. America should “talk to its enemies.” Who will be the first to talk to bin Laden?

The story states Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain have called for Guantanamo to be closed. It did not point out why they would release fighters from prison to return to the fight.

Marijane Green
Kansas City, Kan.

Comments

[solomon]

Engineer,

I could not find the connection to Gitmo and Muslims in America detained since 9/11, so its possible i was incorrect it stating that. They are held somewhere secret according to the Patriot Act.

Here is an interesting link to who we are holding at gitmo.

http://law.shu.edu/aaafinal.pdf

[solomon]

I looked also and did not see any links, but I do remember the stories.

[Engineer]

solomon
I've searched the web. I can't fend any indication that anyone was arrested in the US and sent to Gitmo. The search included some pretty left slanted sites.

[Engineer]

solomon
I just don't recall any such reports. None of the defense attorneys who have gone to Gitmo to defend people and have published reports have mentioned any such persons. This despite the fact they made every criticism they could think of. But I flat don't remember anyone being sent to Gitmo until they started taking armed combatants as captives.

[solomon]

Engineer,

When Gitmo was first opened it was reported that Muslims the gov't suspected of links to terror were transported to Gitmo. I saw reports on cable news shows and also one of the Sunday morning shows. The reports were about family members who could not get any information on their relatives. This dates back to 02 and 03, and I have not read or heard anything about it since. It has been shrouded in secrecy under the veil of National security.

I am surprised you don't recall these reports.

[Engineer]

solomon
To the best of my knowledge no one has been arrested in the US and sent to Gitmo. You said "Some of the detainees were arrested in the US and transported there". Do you have something on which to base that statement? You seem to be saying you don't. If you can't give names at least provide the factual basis for your statement.

[solomon]

Engineer,

Is that a trick question? Under the Patriot act the gov't does not release the names of the people arrested and sent to Gitmo.

[Engineer]

solomon
Do you have the name of any one arrested in the US and transported to Gitmo? I do know of some armed combatants arrested in the Mid East but brought back to the US and tried such as John Walker Linde(?). Again, if we incarcerate them some place else, what has been accomplished?

[solomon]

Engineer,

You use the term "Civil Rights" like it is a bad word, but of course you've never been denied yours. Are you 100% sure that everyone locked up in Gitmo is guilty of a crime? Some of the detainees were arrested in the US and transported there. There seems to be some room for doubt.

[Jim]

Eng,

Am I to assume that you're fine with any innocent people who have been interred at Gitmo being there forever with no legal representation or chance to clear their name?

[Engineer]

strlslvr
If we close Gitmo but incarcerate the prisoners someplace else, what have we accomplished? Gitmo has been set up to accommodate the living, eating and prayer rules and habits called for by the religion of the detainees. If we put them in an established prison, do we completely change the present methods of operation of that institution? IMO, we would be terminally stupid to put them anyplace on US soil so that "Civil Rights" lawyers could claim they have constitutional rights and attempt to get military and intelligence gathering secrets exposed in public trials.

[Casady]

"will remind you Lib Jim, of the wisdom of releasing those terrorists from Gitmo the next time we are attacked to "get over it", IF, you are still alive......"

Wow Rouge, what a horrible way to live your life. You know, being all paranoid all the time. How many Americans have died in terrorist attacks in the last 10 years vs. say the number of Americans who have died in bizarre gardening accidents ove the same period of time? I'd venture to guess the numbers are in the same magnitude. Not that we shouldn't be vigilant or coordinate efforts to obtain the best intel, but for crying out loud, let's put things in perspective. And no one is talking about letting the inmates at Gitmo run free so will you please cut that out!

[Rogue]

It is people like old lower case that have the mentality that the War on Terror is a bumper sticker that it will take another 9/11 or worse to wake up. They pooh pooh very real threats from a world wide terror network, and then when a dirty bomb explodes in LA they are the first to scream "that the government did not connect the dots". Pathetic, absolutely PATHETIC!

Lower case and his ill informed whinnig ilk should be over there in Syrai with Old Jimma Carter smooching with Hamas and talking "peace".

[strlslvr]

Closing Gitmo and "releasing the prisoners" are two different things. No politician running for office in their right (or left) mind would advocate releasing prisoners. But closing Gitmo is the right thing to do and needs to be done asap.

[jack]

What amazes me is it is the "patritotic", "brave", "conservatives" who all claim to be so very terrified that if we don't do this or that "WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE!"

I'd think that sitting in their (probably locked) room, behind their privacy fence (also locked) and dead bolted outside doors, holding their locked and loaded assualt rifles, that they would feel pretty safe.

BTW: The proposal I read was to shift those we actually have some proof of wrong doing on to the military wing of Leavenworth. Doesn't sound all that "released" to me.

[Jim]

Just rewording the neandercon lie doesn't make it any more true. You think McCain wants to "release the terrorists?"

Granted, he doesn't have the spine to go after them in Pakistan, but I certainly don't think he's determined to "release" them.

[Rogue]

I will remind you Lib Jim, of the wisdom of releasing those terrorists from Gitmo the next time we are attacked to "get over it", IF, you are still alive......

[Jim]

This letter is dumb. It repeats the neandercon lie that anyone is advocating just turning people loose out of Gitmo. No serious person has advocated that.

Fortunately, all the candidates have called for closing Guanatamo, even John McCain as recently as two weeks ago (though he may yet flip flop on this, too). The next president will close Gitmo. Get over it.

[Rogue]

B. Hussein Obama is going to change that T., wee we are going to invade Pakistan and get the eunuch bin Laden. He has guaranteed it. Oh, and he is transferring those old meanies held at Gitmo to Leavenworth and give them fair trials, no wait that is Amnesty McCain that is doing that. I think B. Hussein Obama is going to send Hanoi Jane to Gitmo and just release them, I mean they have been punished enough, don't you know?

[T. Hanson]

Just outsource it.

BTW: Whoi s this bin Laden person? I mean it seems that our Government does not care about him anymore.