Closing Guantanamo: One Year and Counting
[Guest post by DRJ]
Five months after Obama’s deadline to close Guantanamo, the LA Times‘ Andrew Malcolm points out a new problem:
“The controversial alternate plan was to transfer these bad guys onto the U.S. mainland and put them in another prison facility that just happened to be in the president’s adopted home state of Illinois and would cost $350 million from somewhere to fix it up while abandoning the still functional though unpopular-abroad Guantanamo prison.
This week the Armed Services Committee, which is controlled by Democrats who overwhelmingly control the House of Representatives, voted to prohibit such a detention facility within the United States.
Finally, some bipartisanship. The vote to prohibit was unanimous.
Other than that, President Obama’s promise to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility by the end of 2009 is moving along swimmingly.”
The New York Times describes it as a “blow to President Obama’s hopes to close Guantanamo.” It sounds more like a knockout.
— DRJ
well, this news was certainly unexpected……
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 5/23/2010 @ 9:54 pmSolid B+
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 5/23/2010 @ 10:18 pmYeah, about as unexpected as the tide coming in twice a day.
AD - RtR/OS! (bb1c62) — 5/23/2010 @ 10:18 pmwell, we can certainly call it unprecedented: never before has the Obama regime failed to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility…..
😀
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 5/23/2010 @ 10:26 pmIt’d be a good place to park all the pols that get ousted in November…
gazzer (7c0559) — 5/23/2010 @ 10:57 pm> The New York Times describes it as a “blow to President Obama’s hopes to close Guantanamo.” It sounds more like a knockout.
IgotBupkis (79d71d) — 5/24/2010 @ 2:14 amObama bought off the refs. Hence, it’s a “split decision” so far…
The President ‘acted stupidly’ in making that promise, if anything Gitmo needs to be expanded,
ian cormac (5f48b4) — 5/24/2010 @ 5:43 amfailing that, Bagram might become the new Gitmo
Sounds like the ASC is keeping O-boy out of more trouble than he is already in. Good thing they are watching his back otherwise he would be epic FAIL. Oh, wait.
PatriotRider (8d9a6f) — 5/24/2010 @ 5:47 amThe Democrats demonized Bush over this for years without a viable alternative. Obama characteristically embraced the empty attacks as legitimate without considering the reasons why Bush did what he did. Obama characteristically decreed the end result without bothering to investigate how it was to be achieved.
Careful what you wish for.
The amazing thing is that a majority of the public supported his inaugural proclamation. Bush failed in that he did not effectively explain why Gitmo was best. Obama failed in that he uncritically believed the fantasy he was told.
Amphipolis (b120ce) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:07 amDon’t forget those prisoners we paid Bermuda and other places to take off our hands. Looks like they could have stayed at our perfectly good, perhaps better, Gitmo facility after all.
How much money has the administration spent to not close Gitmo? How much will taxpayers have to pay for a foolish presidential promise?
Amphipolis (b120ce) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:18 amThe Saudis, Kuwaitis, Qataris, conducted a public relation campaign, through the Levick group to stigmatize all US military operations, and deem
ian cormac (5f48b4) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:22 amall Gitmo detainees as innocent victims, DeborahBurlingame discovered this through her research on the subject, one of the tools was this series of studies out of Seton Hall law school,that
asserted that false premise
Comment by ian cormac
Do you have links to that? Is the Levick Group a US based company? How would that not be treason, other than no one has the stomach to do anything about it?
And it was paid for by those governments?
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:32 amWell there is this column among many
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009758
ian cormac (5f48b4) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:35 amAnd this guy seems to want to take full credit for it:
http://www.levick.com/resources/team/grabowski.php
ian cormac (5f48b4) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:37 amThe good and clear-thinking residents of Illinois are immensely relieved and grateful that the horrible idea of opening a Gitmo North is apparently “done”. Republican senate candidate Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois came out fighting strongly and very vocally from day one against closing Gitmo and against moving terrorists to the Land of Lincoln. He was mocked by Governor Quinn and the current senators Burris and Durbin as well as much of the Chicago media for his stance. They called him a chicken little, a fear monger, and a job killer. But, from the beginning, the state and national polls showed Kirk was on the right side of the public. I hope the voters of Illinois reward him in November for his courage.
elissa (217304) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:49 am15, I second the motion, elissa. Dubuque suffers enough from the (in)actions of the Chicago Political Mob.
PCD (1d8b6d) — 5/24/2010 @ 6:58 amSignature campaign promise, and can’t accomplish it.
For that matter, where is the legislation for repealing the Clinton era Don’t Ask Don’t Tell?
Nada. The Empty Suit(tm).
SPQR (26be8b) — 5/24/2010 @ 8:28 amian,
Thank you for the refs, although now I have a headache and need a target to spit nails at. I had never heard that account of Spann’s death.
Makes me want to join a little civil protest group in front of Mr. Grabowski’s and Mr. Wilner’s homes.
I know many lawyers are politically active liberals, but don’t they resent being used, if they knew it, even if it was for what they thought was a good cause? I would think pride in personal ability would be enough to make more than a few irate and turn against the PR guru’s.
It may not be against the law in the US to do such things, but there is a Commandment that says “Do not bear false witness”, and I’m a little impatient at the moment at waiting for that to be enforced.
As said better by others (though I don’t remember who), the right of freedom of speech should not be so broad as to permit societal suicide.
WARNING: The following is an official rant, not intended to be directed at ian cormac who has provided this information, but directed to those to whom it is directed.
Is there no professional standard among lawyers to advance “the truth”? Is it always to simply do your best for whatever grotesque perverted client can pay you enough? Would you sue a doctor for refusing to give Viagra to a known sex offender and pedophile? Patterico and DRJ, let’s have a thread on this:
1. Do you think a doctor has a responsibility to prescribe Viagra to a pedophile when the pedophile has the appropriate medical indications?
2. If yes, would you personally take the pedophile’s case against the doctor?
3. If yes to #1 and no to #2, would you think the person who took the case is a despicably wicked individual?
4. What other situations would be analagous to this, defending traitorous murderers by using deception?
[Released from filter — DRJ]
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 9:07 amTo DRJ, Stashiu3-
I submitted a post to this thread that must have been intercepted by the filter. Maybe the word V-i-a-g-r-a was the offending term.
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 9:10 amI’ll check. The V word would definitely get the filter’s attention.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 5/24/2010 @ 9:53 amMD in Philly – Didn’t the Democrats vote down an amendment to the Health Care bill that would have forbidden federal funds to be used to provide V!@gr@ to known sex offenders as part of the overhauled medical system?
Have Blue (854a6e) — 5/24/2010 @ 10:12 amHave Blue- There was something about that, but I didn’t pay attention to the details. I figured once I knew the whole thing was garbage there was no need to study the particulars.
Somebody yesterday posted about having “Obama incompetance fatigue”. I have “Obama talking fatigue”, I don’t bother listening much to what he or the Dems are saying for the most part anymore.
When you see the post that was filtered, you’ll understand I was using a reference to the V as an analogy to the legal obscenity revealed at the links ian provided above.
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 10:20 amUp at 18, Have Blue.
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 10:21 amThanks, DRJ.
MD – thank you. I had read your 18 and was replying to it by stating that unfortunately your hypothetical was not to far out of line. You could find a lawyer to proclaim a sex offenders right to be prescribed V!@gr@ because several hundred of them in Washington DC voted to not forbid YOUR tax dollars being used to provide it as a right.
I think the worst thing I have ever heard about concerning a lawyer was the legal team that was negotiating a plea deal for the murderer of a minor using as the bargaining chip the location of the child’s body. the deal fell through because the authorities independently discovered the remains. the lawyers went on to suggest at trial that the parents had actually been responsible. (Note the point of this is that the lawyers knew all along that their client knew the exact location of the remains but still tried to pin the crime the parents to create “reasonable doubt”.
Have Blue (854a6e) — 5/24/2010 @ 10:55 amYes, a GOP ammendment to the ObamaCare fiasco to prohibit drugs for ED to pedophiles and other sexual offenders was defeated on a straight party-line vote.
As to the Levick Group, are they registered as foreign lobbyists as per law?
AD - RtR/OS! (21733c) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:01 amComments by Have Blue, AD – RtR/OS!
Yes, a GOP ammendment to the ObamaCare fiasco to prohibit drugs for ED to pedophiles and other sexual offenders was defeated on a straight party-line vote.
While this is further discussion on the analogy and not the original issue at hand, I think every Democrat incumbant should be made to defend that vote in public. The American people are compassionate, but they aren’t plain stupid.
Is there one sex offender (maybe two) out there who has overcome his demons and is now in a healthy stable relationship that would be benefitted by Viagra? Maybe. If so, the doc can work on the company to get free samples.
As to the Levick Group, are they registered as foreign lobbyists as per law?
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:30 amIf only there was the same amount of money to fight these folks as the Arab governments invested. I find it particularly disgusting if Kuwaiti money money helped in this effort. Had it not been for the US, the Kuwaiti ruling class would have been fed to Saddam’s meat grinders.
I’m sure it was the v-word and sorry for not being around. My wife has been “motivated” for the past couple of days. Motivated in the sense that she is having me whittle down the honey-do list. She says tomorrow is going to be another one, but I can take it easy Wednesday and Thursday (no sarc).
Stashiu3 (44da70) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:50 amNo problems stashiu3, when you get done with her list… 😉
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:55 amBTW, the site continues to function without a hitch.
MD in Philly (cb8efe) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:56 amStashiu3…I seem to have a comment over at “Is there hope for California” caught in moderation.
AD - RtR/OS! (21733c) — 5/24/2010 @ 11:58 amIt’s a looonnnggg list. I think she wrote it on a Mobius strip. 😉
Everyone should really thank Patterico for changing hosts. These guys are awesome and still working hard to improve things. Everyone should probably notice how much outstanding work DRJ has been doing as well. It’s easy to take her for granted because her stuff is always good.
Stashiu3 (44da70) — 5/24/2010 @ 12:06 pmI never take DRJ for granted.
SPQR (26be8b) — 5/24/2010 @ 12:07 pmIs it this one? That’s your last comment on that thread I could find and there is nothing from you in moderation or spam.
Stashiu3 (44da70) — 5/24/2010 @ 12:10 pmYes, that’s the one. It never seemed to show up in the “recent comments” list.
AD - RtR/OS! (21733c) — 5/24/2010 @ 12:15 pmyou should always maintain good public relations specially if you operate a business*”,
Abigail Moore (49cc52) — 9/14/2010 @ 1:44 amyou should always maintain good public relations specially if you operate a business`-‘
Daniel Evans (7c2d40) — 9/14/2010 @ 5:15 amthere are times that good public relations cannot be always achieved -*;
Neutral Density Filter (566dc9) — 12/21/2010 @ 11:49 amgood article, i surely adore this amazing site, keep it.
Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81 (3161e7) — 3/25/2011 @ 8:53 am