I hope that everyone realizes that the Pentagonian Establishment is very much in the midst, and not at the start of, trying to push back at Obama's promise to close Gitmo, and the left's push for this thing to close since we've known of its existence.
This is why it is so incredibly important that the left push him harder than ever before and constantly to close this house of horrors down, as well as all of the others we know and don't know about, because he's being pushed very forcefully (more forcefully, in fact) from the right to "stay the course" on Gitmo.
If it wasn't clear before, I hope it is clear now, that we're very close to keeping Gitmo opened, indefinitely if we're not vigilant about this.
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon says the Guantanamo Bay prison meets the standard for humane treatment laid out in the Geneva Conventions, according to a report for President Barack Obama , who has ordered the terrorist detention center closed within a year.
The report recommended some changes, including an increase in group recreation for some of the camp's more dangerous or less compliant prisoners, according to a government official familiar with the study. The report also suggested allowing those prisoners to gather in groups of three or more, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not officially been released.
You see, the Pentagon is looking for "change" to quiet its critics, but we have to show them that this is not real change.
Attorney General Eric Holder, meanwhile, named a top federal prosecutor, Matthew Olsen, as executive director of Obama's Guantanamo Detainee Review Task Force, which will recommend where to send each detainee. Obama has ordered the task force to consider whether to transfer, release or prosecute the detainees, or figure out some other "lawful means for disposition" if none of those options is available.
I'm glad the AP decided to quote "lawful means for disposition", because that is just what it is, ambiguous. BTW, escalating in Afghanistan only encourages and sustains these prisons and secret renditions.
Gates must be pushed out, period, and Holder must be constantly held accountable.
I just pray that we're not too late.
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I think it's important to emphasize that closing Gitmo
Is necessary but not sufficient. So much symbolic value is invested in it, that its closing will be seen as a huge sea change, which it simply might not be at all.
it was a big mistake to keep Gates on
at closing Gitmo is just the beginning.
Antonio Taguba
Abu Ghraib investigator Antonio Taguba talks to Salon about why he backs a commission to examine Bush torture policies.
Yes, closing Gitmo is just the start, not the end.
Gitmo is a symbol, and I used it as nothing more than that. In fact, later in my blog post I made sure to use prison in the plural (i.e. BTW, escalating in Afghanistan only encourages and sustains these prisons and secret renditions) as any liberal is aware that we've got more Gitmo's set up around the world. In fact, one of our major arguments is that closing Gitmo was not going to be sufficient if we were simply going to move these prisoners to other prisons. I didn't think I needed to retread that.
So, don't be mistaken, I'm talking about a transformation of your policies, and entire sea-change, if you will, and it has to begin with Gitmo.
But, we've always been at war with Eastasia...