Bush Transfers High-Value Prisoners to Gitmo
Posted on Sep 6, 2006
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| From Wikipedia |
Khalid Sheik Mohammed, believed to be the No. 3 Al Qaeda leader before he was captured in Pakistan in 2003, either already has or will soon be transferred from a secret CIA-run prison to a U.S. military-run prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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The AP is reporting that the president is transferring 14 key terrorist leaders, including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, at right, from secret CIA custody to the U.S. military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for eventual trials. The prisoners will apparently be afforded some rights consistent with the Geneva conventions.
Yeah, well, Bush also signed a bill in December outlawing the torture of detainees, and then made a “signing statement” announcing his intention to flout that law. So excuse us for being cynical about the president’s motives and intentions here.
UPDATE: Former DOJ lawyer and law prof Marty Lederman
says Bush’s new bill actually authorizes “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
AP:
President Bush has transferred 14 key terrorist leaders from secret CIA custody to the U.S. military-run prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for eventual trials, a senior administration official said Wednesday.
The high-value suspected terrorists include Khalid Sheik Mohammed, believed to be the No. 3 al-Qaida leader before he was captured in Pakistan in 2003; Ramzi Binalshibh, an alleged would-be Sept. 11, 2001, hijacker; and Abu Zubaydah, who was believed to be a link between Osama bin Laden and many al-Qaida cells before he was also captured in Pakistan, in March 2002.
Bush was revealing the move in a speech from the White House, with families of those killed in the 2001 attacks making up part of the audience. The announcement, which the White House touted beforehand and hoped would be televised live on several networks, comes as Bush has sought with a series of speeches to sharpen the focus on national security two months before high-stakes congressional elections.
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By R. A. Earl, September 7, 2006 at 9:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Daniel wrote: “Granted, it may well be coincidental but I’m not convinced.”
It’s good you’re not “convinced,” Daniel. From what I can gather NOTHING happens as a coincidence in the actions of those at the top of the political pack. Almost everything is planned and orchestrated down to the finest detail to ensure maximum favorable impact on an ignorant public (ignorant meaning uninformed), and if this requires outright LYING, so be it.
When a president lies it’s assumed to be for the good of the country - motherhood and apple pie - and woe to those who suggest he might have ulterior motives for playing fast and loose with the truth.
Granted, every once in a while something unplanned happens - Katrina, for example - and you can see the complete mess these “leaders” make of things when they don’t have a chance to apply their “spin” and obfuscations. But give them a week or two and they’ll come up with some BS they feel the majority will swallow… and it usually works!
Report thisBy Gandersen, September 6, 2006 at 3:50 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
While i understand signing statments(i still do not agree with them, the real issue here is who in their right mind would trust bush to make such a difficult decision.
Bush has and continues to use “terrorism” and “national security” to give him unlimited authority. But, we should not worry too much, when it comes to a difficult decision that can affect the USA, Rove or Cheney will make it for him :-(
We are heading for deep do do!
Report thisBy Daniel DiRito, September 6, 2006 at 11:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I found it a bit odd that the President received a standing ovation when he announced the names of detainees that had been transferred to Guantanamo for prosecution. Isn’t he the same person that has been preventing this type of prosecution? It seems to me that saying “It’s about time” would be the more appropriate response to this announcement. The only thing we’ve gained from the delay of this outcome is the ire of much of the world and a loss of the moral authority that 9/11 most certainly provided.
The fact that these “high profile” names were released...and that one might presume that these individuals will be paraded in the media for all to see...almost immediately after the President and the GOP have just rolled out their campaign strategy for the November midterm election seems all too convenient. Granted, it may well be coincidental but I’m not convinced. Nothing would serve the President better than having Americans see some “tangible” results of our effort to fight the war on terror.
Read more here:
[url=http://www.thoughttheater.com]http://www.thoughtt heater.com[/url]
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