Senate votes to block transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to U.S.

Senate votes to block transfer of Guantanamo prisoners to U.S.

www.latimes.com

The 90-6 vote comes after lawmakers balked at the idea of bringing detainees onto American soil. FBI Director Robert Mueller warned Congress such a move could pose the risk of terrorist attack.

Reporting from Washington -- The Senate showed its opposition to the closure of the prison in an overwhelming vote today to block the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the United States and denied the administration the millions it sought to close the prison, according to the Associated Press.

The 90-6 Senate vote -- paired with similar House action last week -- was a clear sign to President Oba

(visit the link for the full news article)

OK whats going on here?
First everybody and their brother wanted the place shut down. Now that that's going to happen then all of a sudden it dawns on everybody that they have to go someplace. Just not in the US!

"However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he didn't want detainees released into the U.S. or to have them imprisoned here.

"We don't want them around the United States," Reid said."

This is getting pretty lame. Contrary to popular belief most of the remaining inmates are dangerous and need to be held someplace. Soon there will be no place to hold them. Either Obama will have to go back on his word or we will have to bring them here. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.



www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 20-5-2009 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Basically, what is going on is that everybody wants Guantanamo to simply not exist anymore, they want the detainees to not exist anymore as well. Basically, thanks to the Bush Administration, we have a situation that will haunt America for many years to come. On the one hand, we have a detainment facility that is flatly illegal at worst, what with the denial of habeas corpus and due process, not to mention the accusations of torture…on the other hand, we have the threat of terrorism.

Nobody wants Guantanamo to be open, because it has become a huge political thorn in the side of, and embarrassment to, American moral authority around the globe. It makes a mockery of the American legal system as well as the Geneva Convention.

BUT

Nobody wants to accept responsibility for it…those that created the problem have left office, and have shirked all responsibility for their actions…its not their problem anymore, its Obama’s, its Congresses, its anyone but those who are actually responsible for it’s…at the moment, nobody wants Guantanamo to be open, but it is political suicide to try to close it…because we have to do something with the detained….they either have to be released, or they have to be prosecuted. And this is where the real problem occurs. If they are not actually terrorists, will certainly be harboring newfound, or newly-exacerbated, anti-American sentiments that will, undoubtedly, only make us less safe in the future.

Of course, to keep it open and to not prosecute…in the long run, will also be political suicide…

I am becoming very bored with this GITMO issue. People need to make up their minds.

I think Obama may have jumped the gun when he signed that executive order, only what? 3 days in office? Yeah, trying to gain some public support at the beginning of his term has really backfired.

The GOP isn't going to lend a hand at all in this, on the reason that they have to support George and his cronies, or they will have more to answer for. They are already struggling to keep the party together and not loose their entire voting base.

I honestly don't know what the solution should be. Granted, I think most of those detainees were probably at the wrong place at the wrong time and most likely pose to threat to anybody, anywhere. But it today's world, can you take their word for it?

They would need to release under what circumstances they were captured and what has been found about these people, on a case by case basis. Attempting to dump them all into the hands of one country all at once is foolish.

I can understand why the US would not want them, they've kept them un-lawfully and most likely in porous conditions, I would be a terrorist too if they were dumb enough to lead me into their country.

~Keeper

The premise that these accused criminals and terrorists need to be kept off of United States soil for the protection of the citizen is an absolutely false one.

Timothy McVeigh sure didn’t cause any further damage to the people of the nation or Government property sitting in the Super Max Federal Penitentiary in Colorado where the prisoners are all housed underground with 24 hour a day video monitoring and 23 hour a day lock down in their cells and 1 hour a day of solitary exercise outside of their cell with no other inmates present, also under constant video surveillance.

No American Militias tried to free Timothy McVeigh in a military style assault, no like minded or sympathizing organization or person tried committing any act of terrorism to free him, or thwart justice from being done.

How these accused terrorists and criminals become dangerous on American soil is to the Government, the Senators and Congressmen and women, and Chief and Vice Executives who obviously desperately do not want them speaking to the American press, being able to mount defenses in American Courts with American Lawyers in free and open to the public proceedings with their guilt being determined based on actual evidentiary standards that the Prosecution can provide and the Defense can attempt to rebut and put forth it’s own information.

I have a funny feeling that if it were to come to pass that the American people became privy to what only the Congress, Senate, Executive and the Military branches of Government know, that there would be quite a few executions. Not of accused terrorists but of American politicians who have been terrorizing us all with their War on Terror.

Wait a minute! How are the Democrats supposed to give these detainees full U.S. Constitutional rights and protections as they vowed they would if they won't even allow them on American soil?

I thought Obama's first idea was to simply release them back to their own country.

I didn't realize that when he said "close Guantanamo" he missed out "and just put them in a different jail".

The guy is starting to look just as incompetent as Bush was.

Originally posted by madhatr137
Basically, what is going on is that everybody wants Guantanamo to simply not exist anymore, they want the detainees to not exist anymore as well.

See that's just it. It's not going away. the stigma is going to linger.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower

I think Obama may have jumped the gun when he signed that executive order, only what? 3 days in office? Yeah, trying to gain some public support at the beginning of his term has really backfired.


~Keeper

It was a popular decision at the time. I don't honestly think he had all the facts yet. It wasn't until he got in office and started getting the briefings then he realized what was really happening that it finally dawned on him.



[edit on 20-5-2009 by SLAYER69]

Originally posted by Retseh
I thought Obama's first idea was to simply release them back to their own country.

I didn't realize that when he said "close Guantanamo" he missed out "and just put them in a different jail".

The guy is starting to look just as incompetent as Bush was.

That's exactly whats going to happen.

Obama inherited a white elephant so to speak.

Put them in a freakin US prison.

Geezus guys...there are murderers all around.

Afterall, the government has the Patriot act to keep tabs on them...hell..they don't even need to use that because these guys aren't even US citizens.

I'm with Obama and Ron Paul on this one...we have other terrorists in prison...and countless other crazy SOBs.

Shut the place down...put them in prison and let them rot.

And while they're at it..why don't they release all the people who have been imprisoned for drug usage and try to get them some freaking help instead of punishing a disease ...or jailing for marijuana which is for the most part...harmless.

reply to post by David9176


Well said.
I was wondering how long it will take them to figure that one out?

Come and listen to a story about a man named B.O.
A poor President, who closed Gitmo,
Then one day he was shootin up some hoop,
And up through Congress came some real bad news.

Gitmo that is, No where to move them, Nobody wants them.

Well the first thing you know ol BO's in a jam,
Advisors said "BO move them anyway"
Said "Fort Leavenworth is the place they ought to be"
So they loaded up the plane and moved to Kansas.

Hard time, that is. Chain Gang, slippery soap.


Well now its time to say good by to BO and all his kin.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly inviting'em in.
You're all invited back again to this locality
To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality

Terrorism,that is. Combat Enemies, Here in the US.

Y'all come back now, y'hear?.

[Just a little humor over this Gitmo situation with the Beverly Hillbillies theme song.]

reply to post by jam321


I never heard that one before.

OK maybe it's not too funny of a situation

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


I think that's the crux of the legal issue. Should they receive the same rights as say a Timothy?

reply to post by SLAYER69

I was wondering how long it will take them to figure that one out?

I know. Sometimes i think people argue to...well...just argue...lol

Some will criticize Obama on everything no matter what it is and have no stance themselves.

The bombers of the first trade center attacks are in US prisons....serial killers are in US prisons...child molesters are in US prisons.

WTF people!

It's prison....not a country club.

Do you think terrorists will be treated like kings in prison?

Of course not! They'll get even worse treatment than the child molesters.

This issue needs to go away.

I don't agree with Obama on much...but i do on this one.

reply to post by David9176


Well it's like this, our European "Allies" wont take many as a matter of fact they have cut us off I read the other day. Where are they to be held? Are they just going to be let go? I mean seriously this is retarded.

If we captured them..then they are our responsibility.

Act as if they have been arrested without bond...keep them confined until trial..let the legal system take care of it.

Democrats wimped out on this one and Republicans are just idiots for giving everyone the idea that we will be less safe...even though....

OUR BORDERS ARE WIDE OPEN!

Lol..none of this ceases to amaze me!

"The Change" is working - No Gitmo closure - so its reported here in Finland now...

ONLY THING, but just words again, FROM OBAMA, that he is up to some change, THAT ILLEGAL PRISONING, like Guantanomo, WILL BE BANNED...

BUT IT WAS JUST HOAX - CHANGE IS NONE!

If there is still someone, who really thought that Obama is from some other origins than Bush, should wake up!

"Damn - he is just black cat - Buts still a cat"