Obama agrees with Bush, Gitmo and tribunals are needed to fight terrorism

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Obama Brings Back Military Tribunals at Guantanamo Bay

Published March 07, 2011

In this April 27, 2010 photo, a detainee runs inside an exercise area at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

President Obama announced Monday that military trials will resume for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, saying he wants to "broaden our ability to bring terrorists to justice."

The president issued an executive order outlining the changes Monday afternoon, as Defense Secretary Robert Gates rescinded a January 2009 ban against bringing new charges against terror suspects in the military commissions.

"I strongly believe that the American system of justice is a key part of our arsenal in the war against Al Qaeda and its affiliates, and we will continue to draw on all aspects of our justice system -- including Article III courts -- to ensure that our security and our values are strengthened," the president said in a statement. Article III courts are civilian federal courts.

The White House said in a statement that the tribunals are an "important tool in combating international terrorists."

The decision was the latest signal that the prison camp will not close down anytime soon, despite the president's pledge when he took office to shutter the facility.

The White House noted that a number of reforms have been enacted to allow for military commissions to restart. The White House said the military courts would follow the "rule of law" and only be used "where it has been determined appropriate." The administration continued to stress the importance of using federal civilian courts where possible, saying they've delivered "swift justice and severe punishment to those who seek to attack us."

"As the administration has long stated, it is essential that the government have the ability to use both military commissions and federal courts as tools to keep this country safe," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a written statement.

"The executive order issued by the president today strengthens the legal framework under which we will continue to detain those individuals who are at war with our country and who pose a significant threat to the security of the United States. In addition, federal courts will continue to review the legality of detention of individuals at Guantanamo," Holder said. "While we continue to work to close Guantanamo, these steps will ensure that the detention of individuals there is appropriate under our laws."

The first 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.

Closure of the facility has become untenable because of questions about where terror suspects would be held. Lawmakers object to their transfer to U.S. federal courts, and Gates recently told lawmakers that it has become very difficult to release detainees to other countries because Congress has made that process more complicated.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., said he was pleased with Obama's decision to restart the military commissions. But he said the administration must work with Congress to create a trial system that will stand up to judicial review.

A sweeping defense bill Obama signed in January blocked the use of Defense Department dollars to transfer Guantanamo suspects to U.S. soil for trial. The White House said Monday it would work to overturn that prohibition.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/07/obama-brings-military-tribunals-guantanamo-bay/#ixzz1Fx1CxCcb

[natty bumppo 297]

could it be the "change" he promised was a personal statement about obama himself?

[JohnSmith2007 353]

could it be the "change" he promised was a personal statement about obama himself?

I am glad he changed his mind. It seems it is easy to promise something before you know all the facts but hard to admit he was wrong after he is in the loop. I give him props for being man enough to change his mind now that he is fully informed.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

what, gitmo is still open?

[Fandango 1,439]

I am glad he changed his mind. It seems it is easy to promise something before you know all the facts but hard to admit he was wrong after he is in the loop. I give him props for being man enough to change his mind now that he is fully informed.

It's funny that you bring up this point: it's kinda like a win-win for O...he promises to close it, possibly wins votes and the election because of it, and then gets 'in the loop' and changes his mind. Which shows that campaign promises are just ignorant suppositions at best, outright lies at worst.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

It's funny that you bring up this point: it's kinda like a win-win for O...he promises to close it, possibly wins votes and the election because of it, and then gets 'in the loop' and changes his mind. Which shows that campaign promises are just ignorant suppositions at best, outright lies at worst.

That may be true but it will cost him votes by the far left in the next election. I am sure the flip flop ads will come out at some point.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

what, gitmo is still open?

[luckytxn 2,264]

The moron was wrong?

[ready4ONE 5,400]

That may be true but it will cost him votes by the far left in the next election. I am sure the flip flop ads will come out at some point.

Would you have preferred Obama stick with a bad decision to close Gitmo? Myself I understood his desire and intent to shut the place down, and am very happy with him for recognizing the impracticality of doing so.

No flip flop, just a more informed decision not to proceed as desired.

[Dan and Judy 614]

I say free everybody in Guantanamo . Give em all nice clothes and some pocket money and American passports. Load em on a boat bound for let's say Yemen. Have the boat ride around in circles off of the Somali coast for a few days. The pirates come out a capture them. The pirates will hold them for us until we are willing to pay millions in ransom. Naturaly we will cry and fuss and say let our citizens go.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Would you have preferred Obama stick with a bad decision to close Gitmo? Myself I understood his desire and intent to shut the place down, and am very happy with him for recognizing the impracticality of doing so.

No flip flop, just a more informed decision not to proceed as desired.

Since I am not far left I don't care about a flip flop. I didn't want gitmo closed in the first place. But rest assured that there are many lefties that will say he let them down. You can count on a rep commercial pointing out all the flip flops in the next election cycle to remind the left of all the backtracking Obama has done from his campaign promises though.