reply to post by spacedoubt
Do you think the Guantanamo detainees should at least be charged with something? Or, do you think, as war criminals, they should just be held captive
for an unknown period of time? In addition, the abstract definition of this "war" allows for it to go on forever. There is no army, or country, or
general, to surrender. Do we ever release the bulk of these people?
Unfortunately, due to the aspects of this war they should be detained until the war is over. It's just the nature of war.
I think what people are failing to understand is that our troops don't just round people up and send them off to Gitmo or some other secret
prison.
The troops take the people they find on the battle field back to base camp and question them to determine if they are a threat. If they keep them at
base camp and send them off to a detention center or a prison it is because they feel they are a threat to them. Our troops are not police officers
their job is to fight a war.
Are innocents going to get caught up in the mess? Sure they are, but is our troops fault for the person that gives them reason to believe they could
be a threat? No it isn't.
Reading these people their rights when they are arrested means they can now remain silent and not tell them anything. They now have a right to a
lawyer and now they can appeal their case in civilian US Courts.
This is nothing but a cleaver way for the administration to strip away our rights. Imagine the legal battles that are going take place that puts our
Constitutional rights at risk for people that are not even American Citizens.
All it takes is a few activist judges to rule that they have no constitutional rights to set a very very bad precedent. Then American Citizens can get
detained indefinitely while years pass till that legal mess gets straightened out.
Don't think it can happen? I didn't think the government could fire CEO's and take over private businesses and it happened. Is it a feel good
decision? No it isn't. Is it a decision that is necessary so we don't lose anymore American Troops? Yes it is.
There are a whole host of things wrong with this and other things that can lead to other very bad things.
The main thing that is wrong with this is that it is not constitutional. I'll re-quote the fifth amendment:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject
for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be
deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
It's war and they were picked up on the battle field in the time of war. Obama is yet again trying to circumvent the constitution.
