Obama restarts Guantanamo trials

woody60707 · Mar 7, 2011

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama reversed course Monday and ordered a resumption of military trials for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, making his once ironclad promise to close the isolated prison look even more distant.
Guantanamo has been a major political and national security headache for the president since he took office promising to close the prison within a year, a deadline that came and went without him ever setting a new one.
Obama made the change with clear reluctance, bowing to the reality that Congress' vehement opposition to trying detainees on U.S. soil leaves them nowhere else to go. The president emphasized his preference for trials in federal civilian courts, and his administration blamed congressional meddling for closing off that avenue.
"I strongly believe that the American system of justice is a key part of our arsenal in the war against al-Qaida and its affiliates, and we will continue to draw on all aspects of our justice system including (federal) courts to ensure that our security and our values are strengthened," Obama said in a statement.
"Going forward, all branches of government have a responsibility to come together to forge a strong and durable approach to defend our nation and the values that define who we are as a nation."
The first Guantanamo trial likely to proceed under Obama's new order would involve Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the alleged mastermind of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. Al-Nashiri, a Saudi of Yemeni descent, has been imprisoned at Guantanamo since 2006.
Defense officials have said that of around 170 detainees at Guantanamo, about 80 are expected to face trial by military commission. ...

Read the rest here. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110308/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_guantanamo

No big surprise for me. He never seemed serious about closing gitmo after he was in office. And I'm getting tired of everyone and there mom crying "because of congress"

Other thoughts(troll bait): McCain would of closed down Gitmo.

Singularity · Mar 7, 2011

What a presidential candidate and a president-elect thinks on national security in the worlds only super power are two different things. I don't doubt that one makes him look really cool to the public and the other a total douche. But hey, you do what you have to do.

I can just imagine his jaw dropping in that first intelligence meeting back in november 08. And I'm really glad I don't have to know the things that Obama has to know.

Disgustipated · Mar 7, 2011

Didn't he try to open up a place in Illinois when he first took office?

But I gotta agree with an above post, some of those intelligence briefings quickly changed his mind. I don't have any less respect for him for that. It's not like he knew what kind of scumbags were in gitmo before he took office. I'm sure the liberals think they are all law abiding muslims. hah!

So to all these armchair president liberals out there. Stick it! Bad guys need to be put away. 'nuff said.

Obama is da man.

Ajidica · Mar 7, 2011

Ick. How can I not come across like a hipocrate here? If it was a republican president doing the military trials I would accuse them of ignoring the proper justice system and other accusations. However, since it is a democrat president my first reaction is that it is acceptable because there would have to be circumstances that would force him to take that action but that feeling only comes from the fact I feel Obama has a better moral compass then Bush.
I feel like a slimy hippocrate.

Terxpahseyton · Mar 7, 2011

Disgustipated said:
So to all these armchair president liberals out there. Stick it! Bad guys need to be put away. 'nuff said.

So people who uphold a fair trail to determine weather one was bad in the first place deserve name calling?

Ajidica said:
I feel like a slimy hippocrate.

We are all hippocrates. Just not to the same extend.

JollyRoger · Mar 7, 2011

Disgustipated said:
It's not like he knew what kind of scumbags were in gitmo before he took office.

Most detained at Gitmo were released during the last regime. What is left are likely the ones that there is a solid case against, though there are some there that have been granted release, but there is a dispute over where they will be released.

That being said, I think those left could be convicted in Federal Courts. The one they did try got convicted and nailed with a life sentence.

Cutlass · Mar 7, 2011

There was never actually any reason for not closing Gitmo. The main problem was always that any chance of legitimate trials and convictions was ruined by Bush.

Formaldehyde · Mar 7, 2011

One trial and 5 military tribunal convictions so far? Out out how many innocent people whose lives were ruined? Not to mention the 107 deaths and 37 confirmed homicides at the hands of the US military? And the untold number who were tortured and murdered by our allies?

What a resounding success. I can't wait for the next 9/11 blowback incident to occur.

Berzerker · Mar 7, 2011

Obama made the change with clear reluctance, bowing to the reality that Congress' vehement opposition to trying detainees on U.S. soil leaves them nowhere else to go. The president emphasized his preference for trials in federal civilian courts, and his administration blamed congressional meddling for closing off that avenue.

what is it with these Presidents who dont understand the Constitution? Congress has the power to make rules regarding captures, not the Prez. It aint "meddling", its their job.

JollyRoger · Mar 7, 2011

Berzerker said:
what is it with these Presidents who dont understand the Constitution? Congress has the power to make rules regarding captures, not the Prez. It aint "meddling", its their job.

It seems he was blaming the correct institution, so maybe he does understand (just not sure why the meddlers are disagreeing with the Commander-in-Chief during a time of war).

Berzerker · Mar 7, 2011

he's meddling, that aint his job.

Singularity · Mar 7, 2011

You don't have to look further than Somalia to see that international law and order is in dire need of both a sheriff, judge and jailor. Gitmo clearly isn't the answer, and the sad truth is that everybody want the scum put away, but no-one want to prosecute them and have them incarcerated on their territory.

Maybe the US should just release them and make a wall of "We told you so" outside the UN building when a civilian is blown up by the same people they just released.

JollyRoger · Mar 7, 2011

Berzerker said:
he's meddling, that aint his job.

His job includes foreign relations. Such relationships are impacted by the Gitmo situation. It is his job to "meddle" towards a result that helps us with foreign relations. The Constitution certainly does not require Presidential silence in the face of Congressional buffoonery.

BasketCase · Mar 8, 2011

Good for Obama.

This is the reason I stay in the U.S. even when we have a Democrat for a President: the real beauty of the American system is that the craziest radical politicians that actually have a chance of getting elected are actually not so crazy and not so radical. Obama isn't as good as Bush, but he's good enough.

On the side: that list I found, in 2008, listing 20 ways in which Bush and Obama have identical policies? That list has gone from 20 to 41.

(yes, I am in fact going to keep bringing that up for the foreseeable future)

JollyRoger · Mar 8, 2011

He's gonna have to cut and run from Beirut, raise marginal tax rates, and grant amnesty to illegals to start a share list with Reagan.

warpus · Mar 8, 2011

Disgustipated said:
I'm sure the liberals think they are all law abiding muslims. hah!

Yes, every single "liberal" in the world thinks that every single person being detained at Guantanamo is a peace-loving Muslim who enjoys pot roasts, pleasant walks on the beach, and poetry.

You've found us out! I still can't believe it, but I suppose it was sort of inevitable that one of these days someone with a brilliant mind like yours would come about and reveal everything.

MobBoss · Mar 8, 2011

warpus said:
Yes, every single "liberal" in the world thinks that every single person being detained at Guantanamo is a peace-loving Muslim who enjoys pot roasts, pleasant walks on the beach, and poetry.

Well, its hard to deny that a few here at CFC OT certainly think this...

warpus · Mar 8, 2011

MobBoss said:
Well, its hard to deny that a few here at CFC OT certainly think this...

Is it?

I remember plenty of "A little bit of due process please" and "We don't know if they're guilty or not" arguments coming from the left-leaning part of the forum,

but no "They are all innocent! Like Bill Stickers!" arguments

Maybe I'm misremembering though? Got any quotes?

Scratch · Mar 8, 2011

I think some don't go for pot roast, but probably wouldn't mind a good pizza. Also, not all of them are into walks on the beach, probably. Some might prefer hikes in the mountains. You gotta be careful with those generalizations.

Formaldehyde · Mar 8, 2011

warpus said:
Is it?

Of course not. It is the usual deliberate misrepresentation of others' opinions. Were you expecting anything else?

Obama restarts Guantanamo trials

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