Ex-Bush admin official: Most Guantanamo detainees were innocent and the Bush administration knew it

[Kuya]

What is the Guantanamo status right night now anyway? Have most of the prisoners been released, either to freedom or to their home countries, and now we're trying to figure out what to do with "the worst of the worst"? That whole issue seems to have kinda disappeared lately.

And fuck Colin Powell.

The article mentions that there are about 150-180 left, and as to whether they are the "worst of the worst" is unknown. During a recent trial 17 out of 30-something detainees were ordered released because of a lack of evidence to keep them locked up. It is not certain whether the ones left in Guantanamo are there because the adminstration has concrete evidence of how dangerous they are (if so they would put them in a civilian court, but presumably the administration must feel it has evidence to believe some detainees might be dangerous but not enough to prove it) or because the administration is finding it difficult to find a place where to put them.

There have been examples of both of the two situations occuring.

[archibaldcrane]

That's about what I figured.

[Blarg]

for your information, she turned me into a newt

witches and their curses are the reason for my sexual impotence

[Kuya]

An issue is that it was intended that some detainees would be moved to the US and housed in there until they had their day in court, but you might remember a political storm that was brewed up that had a line that went something like this:

"Terrorists? Not in my backyard!"

Many democrats in Congress flipped out and also claimed that these "terrorists" should not be brought into the country to have their trials.

So not only are some of them there because they can't find a place where to put them, they are also there because apparently some are making an issue over bringing them to the US so they can be put into court. I believe the "underwear bomber" had the same issue. Some were saying that he shouldn't have a trial/be in the US.

[Souj]

witches and their curses are the reason for my sexual impotence

That's why I make sure all the bitches I meet way more than a duck.

Spoiler: show

Someone caught it, Qalbert D:

[Egon]

Egon has the power to demote an Army Colonel, Chief of Staff to a General, with access to the White House to 'Some Wacko.'

Because he said so.

Wasn't Bush "just some wacko?"

[Elvis]

Compelling argument Egon. /thread

[Komm Suesser Tod]

Wasn't Bush "just some wacko?"

He was a massively powerful wacko who's actions have forever fucked up the lives of thousands of people. Also, what the hell are you saying? Ok, so you say this guy is basically full of shit, likening him to a UFO nut, and then when people say something about your out of hand dismissal of a high level staffer for the Bush administration, you come back with this?

Step up your game, this is just getting old.

[Rhinox]

Not surprised.


Jesse Ventura said it best.

'we has been practicing terrorism for the last 50 years, only we call it foreign policy.'

[Kuya]

I am still wondering who thought it was a good idea to catch terrorists by offering a 5k dollar reward, without evidence, for people who are presumed to be terrorists.

I assume that most americans thought that what the US was doing was using the CIA and analyzing information in order to find people connected to terrorism and bring those people to Guantanamo, not offering 5k in some poor country for whomever they could get.

It's almost as if they just wanted a body count so they could say how many terrorists they caught so quickly. That or just pure stupidity.

[Mizango]

Not surprised.


Jesse Ventura said it best.

'we has been practicing terrorism for the last 50 years, only we call it foreign policy.'

Good call.

[Mizango]

The more Egon posted the shittier this thread is destined to become. I had hoped that when Lief was banned he's take Egon with him into the void.

[LinktheDeme]

What pisses me off is that all these politicians get slaps on the wrist for withholding the information and releasing it later. But for corporations, the employees that know illegal activities go on, only the ones who step forth in the initial whistle blow when it happens are the one that are immune. Everyone else who sat by and watched it happen even though they did not contribute still have to serve their time.

[Zilong]

The notion that justice applies to the rich and powerful is laughable at best

[Lordender]

This doesn't surprise me one bit. Who knows what else is going to come out about the Bush administration in the future. Infact, I don't think I want to know lol.

[Zilong]

Bush did WTC

[Yugl]

It's almost as if they just wanted a body count so they could say how many terrorists they caught so quickly. That or just pure stupidity.

That reminds of two articles on drug eradication in Peru. Essentially, the authors drew a comparison between the number of drug smuggling planes destroyed as a measurement of policy success to that of counting bodies as a means of determining success in a war. Ironically, the government issued it as a war on drugs just as the Bush administration issued the war on terrorism.