On the editorial page of the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday, we urged President-elect Obama to close the Guantanamo detention camp when he gets into office.
The next big question will be what to do with the dozens of prisoners who need to be put on trial.
We argued against setting up another secret court system and noted our federal court system is already well equipped to handle criminal cases involving national security issues.
You can find a more in-depth analysis of national security courts and the problems with them here, in a report by the Constitution Project.
This blog brought to you by the Sun-Times editorial board (click on names to read bios):
Is it really a good thing to close guantanamo and let loose some of the potential terrorists back on the streets with the Taliban shooting at our troops. Federal crime is one thing but international criminals need to be kept in a more disclosed location. So is this not a safety hazard for Americans and American troops. Maybe this needs to be thought through a lot more so that we can spare more of our citizens lives.
Closing down Guantanamo and moving any of the detainees to the United States will just open the door to terrorists attacking America on our home ground. In addition, it will allow these criminals obtaining the best legal representation in the world.
On the other side, why did some of these detainees spend years in prison without trail or in many cases no charges being brought against them? One would have to blame the military for not having their act together and getting the job done. I am against locking people up and not in short order placing charges, proving charges and hanging them. There was no need for secret trials and hiding the truth from the public. No wonder we don't have any trust towards our sytem of government.
The system just doesn't work, like most agencies in the United States.
Real smart to close Gitmo and let these terrorist thugs onto the streets of the U.S. That is the plan by the ACLU and the far left loons in this country. Let them set up a section 8 terrorist house next to them. Better yet, put them in the parks of San Francisco. They would love to have them there. But don't put them next door to me. I vote to close it alright, but they get dropped off in a boat in the middle of no where or perhaps Seal Island where the Great Whites can serve us justice.
>>>>The next big question will be what to do with the dozens of prisoners who need to be put on trial.
You have it backwards. The above question is the FIRST question to answer, before you ever close the camp. It's not the "next" big question.
You answer this one first, and THEN you think about closing the camp.
Steve C.
Close GITMO, get out of Cuba, give it back to the rightful owners, the Cubans, use that money at home for the homeless...Excecute the terrorist..and its all over...Done, Finito. Fin..No Mas...
Semper Fi...
Closiing GITMO is one of the most rediculous ideas or demands in long line of ideas and demands by the LEFT. First things first, these men are war criminals. They do not fall under any local, county, state or federal jurisdiction. Even when crimes are committed by military members over seas. They are not under state or federal laws. Second if the trial are not completed where do we house them? Once they step foot on U.S. soil via state, federal or U.S. base jails. That location will be a huge bulls eye for the enemy, causing any number of civilian casualties. Think before we speak, and research on what the situation demands. We must use our heads if are to keep this country safe. Quit useing ignorance to make your decisions.
If we are concerned about civil rights then maybe we should spend sometime thinking about the overcrowded jails our war on drugs has created and the policy of incarcerating people suffering from a medical ailment rather then concerns about how we treated non US citizens who at a minimum are socializing with known terrorists.
I appreciate the concern over detaining people who haven't been given due process but let's focus on our own citizens rather then persons who have never contributed one dime to the US tax revenues.
If we maintain that we are a country founded on law then these men are NOT war criminals only alleged to be and after seven years the Bush flunkies admit they have no case, zero, nada. If we are not a country founded on law then Bush and Cheney should be marched in front on a firing squad for lying to the American people and the death of over Four(4) thousand young men and women and tens of thousands Iraqi.
Closing Guantanamo is basically silly. Yes, we know of it's existence and yes we know some of it's dealings, but there are a great many places "left over" from military actions and occupations (of the USA and of friends of the US military) which can be used at will, and are being used at will.
In the USA and world at large today, whatever we see "isn't," and what ever we don't see may be.
Guantanamo is smoke and mirrors, there is a lot more to see than Guantanamo and frankly, I don't think it's worth all of the attention or expense.
Hey Pepe Cuevas...please learn to spell then understand the context of the real issue yourself...The RIGHT not the LEFT is your blind spot..Some of these individuals have been released because they were not proven to be war criminals...Its a big waste of money and a scam...Let's use the remaining funds to control the nut-jobs in south Florida mejor....
Semper Fi...
There is a reason why this prison was set up to keep the terrorist away from society. The problem with the U.S. is people are trying to push the crap of being P.C.. Leave the terrorist where they are at!! Do we really want these individuals running around our streets. They are killers and have no regard for the U.S. People better wake up and realize the type of world we are now living in. These terrorist are a result of war. They do not have rights!! This Country is now becoming whimps. Oh the poor terrorist. How about the inocent that were killed by these thugs. Wake up America have you ever tried to stop a bully? Keep guantanamo open!!!
We cannot keep gitmo open and maintain or ideals.
We must prosecute Bush et al fully.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/index.php?id=1080
Just another dim-witted liberal idea that endangers my family.
See if we can load them up on a hospital ship, and send it to Sweden, all expenses paid, with the Saudi's kicking in, and get them medically and psychologically treated, and repatriated to wherever they came from. Then we load up gitmo with our politicians and give them the same treatment. No trial, no hair brushes allowed, and give them a sense of what we have been doing to the world. Bush and Cheney should be there - as inmates!
Take all the prisoners, put them on a hospital ship and send them to Sweden. We pay all expenses for the Swedes to get them treated medically and psycholigicaly and then get them repatriated to wherever they came from.
We don't close gitmo. We bring in the new inmates. Bush, Cheney, et al, and those Illinoisans like some of our governors.
No trial. No lawyers. No press conferences.
Thanks for this forum is a left-winged whack job who doesn't get it...If we are going tostart putting our senior leaaders on trial maybe we should start withone of your heroes, Bill Clinton. His administration gave the Bush administration the inteeligence failures that led to OIF. Let's also look at other politicians that lie, and provide false information...what should be done with them? Most of them get re-elected because they champion one of your causes. Closing GITMO does nothing good but relocate a small force and costs thousands, if not hundreds of thousands to dismantle and transport government property. Besides, the guards are the ones suffering, not the prisoners. They get routine medical care, routine religious support, routine food and exercise, while the guards get waste thrown at them, spat upon, etc. I find it humorous that you side with the criminal / terrorist and not the service member. Thanks for the support.
ATW! (that's All the Way!)