The "debate" over all the bad and scary things that will happen if Obama closes Guantanamo and we then incarcerate those detainees in American prisons is so painfully stupid even by the standards of our political discourse that it's hard to put into words, and it also perfectly illustrates the steps that typically lead to America's National Security policies:
(1) Right-wing super-tough-guy warriors project some frightened, adolescent, neurotic fantasy onto the world -- either because they are really petrified by it or because they want others to be ("Putting Muslim Terrorists in our prisons will make us Unsafe!-- Keep them away from me, please!!!");
(2) Rather than scoff at the inane fear-mongering or point out simple facts to reveal its idiocy, Democratic "leaders" such as Harry Reid echo the right-wing fears in order to prove how Serious and Tough they are -- in our political debates, the more frightened one is, the more Serious and Tough one is -- and/or because they are genuinely frightened of being called mean names by Sean Hannity ("Harry Reid isn't as scared of this as I am, which shows that he's weak");
(3) "Journalists" who are capable of nothing other than mindlessly reciting what they hear then write articles depicting the Right's frightened neurosis as a Serious argument, and then overnight, a consensus emerges: Democrats are in big trouble politically unless they show that they, too, are as deeply frightened as the Right is.
Until recently, I thought the single most embarrassingly stupid event of the last decade's national security debates -- the kind that will make historians look back with slack-jawed amazement -- was the joint dissemination in the run-up to the war by the Bush administration and the American media of playing cards that featured all of the "Most Wanted" Iraqi Villains and their cartoon villain nicknames. Saddam Hussein was the Ace of Spades; Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash -- Mrs. Anthrax -- was the Five of Hearts; Ali Hassan al-Majid -- Chemical Ali -- was the King of Spades; sadly, Dr. Rihab Rashid Taha -- the dreaded "Dr. Germ" -- didn't make it to the deck, but she certainly had her day in the American media sun (AP: "Iraq's 'Dr. Germ' Surrenders to Coalition" -- CNN: "U.S. military holding 'Dr. Germ,' 'Mrs. Anthrax'").
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MnYI3_FRbb...s320/cards.png If you weren't on board with all of that -- if you weren't hiding under your bed shaking when these cartoons were shown on the TV -- that meant that you were neither Tough nor Serious. Just as is true now, the Tough and Serious people were the ones who became frightened by the comic book villians. All of that led to reports like this from CNN:
U.S. commanders said that they have no intention of resting until the mission is complete and they have the top prize, Saddam -- the ace of spades in the notorious deck of cards.
Saddam's sons Qusay, the ace of clubs, and Uday, the ace of hearts, died in a raid in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. . . .Key to tracking down Qusay and Uday was the capture of the ace of diamonds, No. 4 on the list, Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, . . . Still unclear is the fate of No. 5 -- the king of spades -- Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali" . . . . U.S. military officials said they still want to capture or kill those who remain at large and put the entire deck of cards out of business.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the Pentagon for details of that capture of another player in the Pentagon's deck of cards. CNN's Patty Davis is on the story -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kelli. Another big fish now in U.S. custody. The U.S. Central Command says it is retiring the six of clubs from that deck of most wanted Iraqis. Now he is Lieutenant General Husam Muhammad Amin Al-Yasin.
Now, Lieutenant General Amin was the liaison for the U.S. weapons inspectors before the war, a key figure in Saddam Hussein's weapons program. He held briefings, giving Iraq's point of view about those inspections and could very well have valuable information about, for the U.S. about any Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Now clearly a very big get for the U.S. On the deck of cards now, 13 of the 55 now in custody.
How can "journalists" who said such things even show their face in public? If there were transcripts of you saying things like this on national television, wouldn't you want to go immediately leap off the nearest bridge? Yet not a single American media organization ever questioned why they kept warning Americans about Chemical Ali, Mrs. Anthrax and Dr. Germ once there were no chemical weapons found in the entire nation of Iraq.
Despite all that, we never tire of the specter of the Big, Bad, Villainous, Omnipotent Muslim Terrorist. They're back, and now they're going to wreak havoc on the Homeland -- devastate our communities -- even as they're imprisoned in super-max prison facilities. How utterly irrational is that fear? For one thing, it's empirically disproven. Anyone with the most minimal amount of rationality would look at the fact that we have already convicted numerous alleged high-level Al Qaeda Terrorists in our civilian court system (something we're now being told can't be done) -- including the cast of villains known as the Blind Shiekh a.k.a. Mastermind of the First World Trade Center Attack, the Shoe Bomber, the Dirty Bomber, the American Taliban, the 20th Hijacker, and many more -- and are imprisoning them right now in American prisons located in various communities.
We've been doing that for two decades. What are all the bad and scary things that have happened as a result? The answer is: "nothing." Take note, Chris Cillizza and friends: while it's true that "not a single prisoner has escaped from Gitmo since it was created," it's also true that no Muslim Terrorists have escaped from American prisons and our SuperMax prison "has had no escapes or serious attempts to escape." Actually, the only person to even make an escape attempt from a SuperMax is Green Arrow, who hasn't succeeded despite the help of Joker and Lex Luthor.
I really want to know: when our nation's stalwart right-wing warriors (along with Harry "Fighting the Good Fight" Reid) become petrified at the thought of keeping Muslim Terrorists in our prisons, what exactly do they fantasize will happen? What bad things specifically do they fear are going to occur? I asked that question last night on Twitter and these were some of the responses I received:
Atrios: crawl up through our toilets and steal our vital essence
akaBruno: They'll join up with T-Bag, Lincoln Burrows and Michael Scofield and break out of Fox River
JonahKeri: That they'll turn this into a lawless, chaotic state and make people live in a constant state of riled-up fear. Oh wait...
One right-wing warrior-blogger tried to answer the question earnestly by pointing out that in November, 200o, a Muslim Terrorist violently attacked a prison guard. A report from the Dallas Morning News regarding prisoner-on-guard attacks found that in 2007 alone -- just in Texas -- there were "more than three dozen staff assaults with weapons." But that's a perfect distillation of the fear-wallowing right-wing mindset: hey, one time, 9 years ago, a Muslim Terrorist attacked a prison guard, so now we have to keep all Muslim Terrorist-prisoners in cages on a Cuban island with no trial because I'm too scared to keep them in an American prison.
Isn't it rather obvious how degraded a citizenry becomes when there's this constant effort to keep them in a state of intense fear of everything? Even after eight long years of the Bush era, our leading political figures and media stars -- especially the Toughest and Most Serious ones -- still quiver with paralyzing fear, completely take leave of their senses, the minute someone utters the word "Terrorist" and especially the phrase "Muslim Terrorist." The last two elections proved that Americans themselves generally are no longer frightened by this tactic, but for our political and media elites, "Terrorist" is still the supremely scary, all-purpose justifying phrase.
Here's a dramatic and deeply serious video that examines the National Security Crisis caused by Muslim Terrorists in American prisons, and illustrates the level of our political debates in Serious Circles over these matters:
UPDATE: As always, those who most enthusiastically enable and join in with the right-wing fear-mongering campaign are the Serious Democratic Senators (h/t sysprog).
Also as always, the Right is too extreme and absurd to satirize:
05-20-2009
DarrinS
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
You should just invite them to live with you.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
You should just invite them to live with you.
What's wrong with putting them in prison until we can prosecute them?
05-20-2009
DarrinS
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Winehole23
What's wrong with putting them in prison until we can prosecute them?
Is that what Dems favor? I'll bet they're ok with it, as long as it's not in their state.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Maybe holding them indefinitely at Gitmo and torturing them compromised the cases.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
Is that what Dems favor?
No. They're scared of the GOP hysterics over this.
05-20-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Isn't it rather obvious how degraded a citizenry becomes when there's this constant effort to keep them in a state of intense fear of everything? Even after eight long years of the Bush era, our leading political figures and media stars -- especially the Toughest and Most Serious ones -- still quiver with paralyzing fear, completely take leave of their senses, the minute someone utters the word "Terrorist" and especially the phrase "Muslim Terrorist." The last two elections proved that Americans themselves generally are no longer frightened by this tactic, but for our political and media elites, "Terrorist" is still the supremely scary, all-purpose justifying phrase.
I disagree with the last sentence, as Obama certainly made it clear that he would 'fight terrorism,' only he would do it more effectively by going after where they are (ie Afghanistan) more intensely. The '06 election result looked more like angst about the Iraq War and dissatisfaction with the various GOP congressional scandals.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant
I disagree with the last sentence, as Obama certainly made it clear that he would 'fight terrorism,' only he would do it more effectively by going after where they are (ie Afghanistan) more intensely. The '06 election result looked more like angst about the Iraq War and dissatisfaction with the various GOP congressional scandals.
Yep.
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
You should just invite them to live with you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
Is that what Dems favor? I'll bet they're ok with it, as long as it's not in their state.
Again, what is wrong with putting them in the kinds of prisons that already house convicted terrorists?
05-20-2009
Spurminator
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
the more frightened one is, the more Serious and Tough one is
:lmao
So true.
05-20-2009
angrydude
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Well, if they get sent to California prisons maybe they'll get early release because of over-crowding.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Wishful thinking, angry.
05-20-2009
balli
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Rather than getting caught up in "arguments" which basically equate to, "if you love them terrorists so much, why don't you marry them?" I'll just say: Good column/post, WH.
05-20-2009
Winehole23
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Thanks, balli.
05-20-2009
Wild Cobra
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by angrydude
Well, if they get sent to California prisons maybe they'll get early release because of over-crowding.
Just as likely if they send them to Oregon.
Funny thing is, we have an new empty prison built and ready to go. The state (or is it county) doesn't want to fund manning or opening it. Maybe the feds should exercise imminent domain for it. It's been empty for years, never been occupied.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Glenn Greenwald? Seriously?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Guantanamo Bay is a multi-million dollar facility built especially for housing the people in it.
What's wrong with keeping them there?
I mean, if he's not going to release them and -- thankfully -- it appears that now he's not; what's the point in even discussing moving them? Is our lease up or something?
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Good PR.
Now what is wrong with moving them?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Good PR.
Now what is wrong with moving them?
What's wrong with keeping them there?
05-20-2009
boutons_deux
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Magik Negro can't prosecute, even in military kangaroo courts, because there's not enough evidence.
The prisoners are just boy-toys for the criminal sadists in the CIA and Army to amuse themselves with.
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
What's wrong with keeping them there?
Bad PR.
Now what's wrong with moving them?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Bad PR.
So what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Now what's wrong with moving them?
Introduces an unnecessary element of risk; both in the transportation and in the housing of non-criminal defendants in criminal facilities.
Stupid idea.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by boutons_deux
Magik Negro can't prosecute, even in military kangaroo courts, because there's not enough evidence.
The prisoners are just boy-toys for the criminal sadists in the CIA and Army to amuse themselves with.
The circumstances of their capture will, in most cases, be plenty of evidence to gain a conviction in the military commissions.
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Introduces an unnecessary element of risk; both in the transportation and in the housing of non-criminal defendants in criminal facilities.
Stupid idea.
they've been transported before. do you think they turned into wesley snipes?..................you did say they are non-criminal defendents.
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
So what?
It's important.
Quote:
Introduces an unnecessary element of risk; both in the transportation and in the housing of non-criminal defendants in criminal facilities.
What risks?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
It's important.
What risks?
You've obviously never moved prisoners.
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
You've obviously never moved prisoners.
have you?
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
You've obviously never moved prisoners.
You have?
Besides, you just said they weren't criminals.
Why so afraid?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
You have?
Yes.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
And, it's only a PR problem for liberals...
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Yes.
Did any escape?
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
And, it's only a PR problem for liberals...
And the rest of the world.
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Yes.
wow....and you managed to screw that up?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
And the rest of the world.
Because of liberals...
Frankly, I don't hear the rest of the world whining about it anymore...now that Barack is in office.
Shut the fuck up, and Gitmo can go on serving the purpose it was built for.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
wow....and you managed to screw that up?
Nope. I just know the risks.
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Because of liberals...
Frankly, I don't hear the rest of the world whining about it anymore...now that Barack is in office.
Shut the fuck up, and Gitmo can go on serving the purpose it was built for.
My, you're acting butch today.
Nah, it's better to close it and remove the blight on American history.
05-20-2009
George Gervin's Afro
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
they've been transported before. do you think they turned into wesley snipes?..................you did say they are non-criminal defendents.
Tommy Lee Jones would hunt them down
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Nope. I just know the risks.
Did any escape?
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Nope. I just know the risks.
why don't you just share your knowledge to the "prisoner transportation society"?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
why don't you just share your knowledge to the "prisoner transportation society"?
Sorry, this isn't a class.
Suffice it to say, the facilities at Guantanamo are uniquely designed to handle the people there and there isn't a facility, in the United States, capable of handling them. They have different requirements -- not the least of which is that they be segregated from the rest of the population.
Can you name a facility, in the states, that has the room for them?
Some of these people have a continuing desire to murder Americans...do you think they'll care if it's another prisoner?
Then, you have to consider the inherent risks in removing them from a secure environment, putting them in any kind of vehicle for transport, moving them, and arriving safely.
There's no reason to move them.
Didn't a court rule, just today, that Obama could keep them detained for as long as he wanted without a trial?
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Sorry, this isn't a class.
yeah....because you didn't teach anyone anything.
Quote:
Suffice it to say, the facilities at Guantanamo are uniquely designed to handle the people there and there isn't a facility, in the United States, capable of handling them. They have different requirements -- not the least of which is that they be segregated from the rest of the population.
big deal. is prison segregation a new concept for you?
Quote:
Can you name a facility, in the states, that has the room for them?
they're called prisons.
Quote:
Some of these people have a continuing desire to murder Americans...do you think they'll care if it's another prisoner?
:lol sounds like they'll fit right in.
Quote:
Then, you have to consider the inherent risks in removing them from a secure environment, putting them in any kind of vehicle for transport, moving them, and arriving safely.
you mean they'll just have to do it again.
Quote:
There's no reason to move them.
sure there is.
Quote:
Didn't a court rule, just today, that Obama could keep them detained for as long as he wanted without a trial?
don't know. so what.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
yeah....because you didn't teach anyone anything.
Ooooh my, nice comeback.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
big deal. is prison segregation a new concept for you?
No, but apparently it is to you. I don't think we have any prisons that now have the facilities to segregate violent offenders, non-violent offenders, and non-criminal terrorists that want to kill everyone else.
You're suggesting moving the violent offenders back into the general population where, they too, will create problems.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
they're called prisons.
And the ones we have are already overcrowded.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
:lol sounds like they'll fit right in.
you mean they'll just have to do it again.
sure there is.
don't know. so what.
No reason to move them. It doesn't matter whose ass it chaps. I don't see any other country standing in line to take them either.
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
No, but apparently it is to you. I don't think we have any prisons that now have the facilities to segregate violent offenders, non-violent offenders, and non-criminal terrorists that want to kill everyone else.
you're not big on innovation, are you?
Quote:
You're suggesting moving the violent offenders back into the general population where, they too, will create problems.
i didn't suggest that. but life sucks for prisoners.
Quote:
And the ones we have are already overcrowded.
never stopped us before.
Quote:
No reason to move them. It doesn't matter whose ass it chaps. I don't see any other country standing in line to take them either.
you want somebody else to clean up our mess?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
you're not big on innovation, are you?
Gitmo is innovative enough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
i didn't suggest that. but life sucks for prisoners.
I thought you were concerned about civil rights.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
never stopped us before.
You're an idiot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
you want somebody else to clean up our mess?
Then everyone needs to shut the fuck up and leave them where they belong, at Gitmo.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
I don't know why we're arguing over this. The Democrats, in Congress, have made it pretty clear they're not going to allow the detainees to be shipped to the States.
Obama is already starting to make noise about his decision to close Gitmo was a bit "hasty," is the term I think Gibbs used today.
So, y'all just start bitching at Barack, okay? It's his detention camp now.
05-20-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
it's an ugly face thats been planted on the united states.
why do you hate your country?
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
it's an ugly face thats been planted on the united states.
why do you hate your country?
So is Joe Biden but, you don't hear me trying to have him moved to another country, do you?
Why do you hate our country?
What's wrong with Gitmo?
05-20-2009
boutons_deux
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
BFD, as if a couple 100 more would increase greatly the 1000s of terrorists created by dubya/dickhead/rummy.
As if any of these unconvicted, evidence-free terrorists would ever kill a non-military American.
Can we assume the military knows how to defend themselves against combattants?
and how to identify that 1 in 7?
05-20-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Suffice it to say, the facilities at Guantanamo are uniquely designed to handle the people there and there isn't a facility, in the United States, capable of handling them. They have different requirements -- not the least of which is that they be segregated from the rest of the population.
Easily done.
Quote:
Can you name a facility, in the states, that has the room for them?
Who says they all need to be in one place? I'm sure the Leavenworth detention center has a few open cells.
Quote:
Some of these people have a continuing desire to murder Americans...do you think they'll care if it's another prisoner?
You just said they would be segregated.
Quote:
Then, you have to consider the inherent risks in removing them from a secure environment, putting them in any kind of vehicle for transport, moving them, and arriving safely.
How many of your prisoners escaped?
05-20-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
So they weren't real sources of intel and the cost incurred in imprisoning them and torturing them has been great for the state. Should've just put a bullet in their dome on the battlefield and walked away.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
It's all moot. The Senate voted 90-6 that the terrorists belong at Gitmo. When it gets down to the nut-cutting, their rhetoric is empty.
05-20-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
When in doubt, don't admit a mistake.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant
When in doubt, don't admit a mistake.
The mistake was ever suggesting Gitmo wasn't the right place for those scumbags.
Now, we have the Defense Department withholding a report because it doesn't follow the President's narrative...
Question: What are the odds of an unlawful combatant returning to terrorism once he is released from Gitmo?
Answer: 1 in 7. The one strike your’re out rule for terrorism works for me.
Question: Why is the report on this being held up?
Answer: The pentagon does not want to piss off The President, the New York Times reported. President Obama does not want the facts to get in the way of his opinion.
I suspect the recidivism is higher...we've only recaptured (or killed) 1 in 7.
05-20-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Maybe they weren't threats to begin with, as that 1 in 7 stat would seem to attest.
05-20-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant
Maybe they weren't threats to begin with, as that 1 in 7 stat would seem to attest.
Where are the other six?
05-20-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Probably in a dark place.
05-21-2009
LnGrrrR
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Guantanamo Bay is a multi-million dollar facility built especially for housing the people in it.
What's wrong with keeping them there?
I mean, if he's not going to release them and -- thankfully -- it appears that now he's not; what's the point in even discussing moving them? Is our lease up or something?
Maybe the fact that it kills our credibility in the rest of the world. Or the laughable arguments that because it's not located in the US, that US law doesn't apply to the prisoners there. Or any other number of things.
05-21-2009
LnGrrrR
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Sorry, this isn't a class.
Suffice it to say, the facilities at Guantanamo are uniquely designed to handle the people there and there isn't a facility, in the United States, capable of handling them. They have different requirements -- not the least of which is that they be segregated from the rest of the population.
Can you name a facility, in the states, that has the room for them?
Some of these people have a continuing desire to murder Americans...do you think they'll care if it's another prisoner?
Then, you have to consider the inherent risks in removing them from a secure environment, putting them in any kind of vehicle for transport, moving them, and arriving safely.
There's no reason to move them.
Didn't a court rule, just today, that Obama could keep them detained for as long as he wanted without a trial?
Do prisoners never kill each other?
05-21-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by LnGrrrR
Do prisoners never kill each other?
Again, I don't see the problem with continuing to use Gitmo.
It's a facility specifically designed to house those in it.
Frankly, it seems to me the fake outrage has been about our treatment of detainees at Gitmo, not the facility itself. So, how, exactly, will moving them to the USA change this?
05-21-2009
Wild Cobra
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by LnGrrrR
Do prisoners never kill each other?
Yes, just like in any other prison!
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Yoni -- you never answered the question:
How many of your prisoners escaped?
05-21-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Yoni -- you never answered the question:
How many of your prisoners escaped?
he said none of them escaped...........considering his history, it makes sense that he's only comfortable around strangers if they're shackled.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Ok, I just skimmed. If a yokel like him can safely transfer prisoners, I don't see a problem.
05-21-2009
hope4dopes
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
The left wanted me to believe that bush went into Iraq, because Saddam tried to kill bush senior,because of big oil, because his zionist masters told him to,because he was a stupid cowboy wanting to kill more innocent little brown people, I'm even supposed to believe bush blew up the twin towers himself.Basically because he's an idiotic, immature,greedy, racist asshole...Okay let's look into it what do you got.
On the other hand I'm supposed to believe that Obama is intelligent....I'm supposed to focus my attention on the minutea of legalize.I"m supposed to buy into the canard that Obama gives a rats ass about what a bunch of dead old white men wrote 200 years ago.I'm supposed to ignore here is man who grew up in the radical muslim enviorment of indonesia, who got into college by the weight of a letter written by one of malcom X.s lawyers who was intimate with rashid khalidi a spokesman for the PLO, who's personal friend and political bedmate is Bill Ayers a self confessed and unrepentent terrorist, who for 20 years attended a self titled "church" and basked in the racist, and anti semetic hate of the rev. wright.a church that had many moslem members despite the fact one of the tenets of Islam is they don't worship in other religons temples.I'm supposed to ignore all that and buy into the canard that Obama is interested in the Constitution, and not ask who does this guys sympathys really lie with? who did the democrats elect.How come he got so much money from bankers and wall street when he was running, Yes I'm supposed to buy the red herring and not ask the more pointed question, I'm supposed to allow the left to frame the debate about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, and not frame the debate in terms of how do we get active to remove this cretin from office.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
I'm supposed to focus my attention on the minutea of legalize.
:lmao
From what chain email was this lifted?
05-21-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
check your diaper.
05-21-2009
Marcus Bryant
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Believe the conspiracy theories that make the other guy look bad, but not the ones that make my guy look bad!!!111 Or I'll pout.
05-21-2009
hope4dopes
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant
Believe the conspiracy theories that make the other guy look bad, but not the ones that make my guy look bad!!!111 Or I'll pout.
same guys as far as I can see.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Did you read what you just pasted?
05-21-2009
hope4dopes
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Did you read what you just pasted?
Yeah I don't think either one of them was motivated by anything aluturistic, and I wouldn't put anything past either one of them.I think both of them are using the Constitution as a political football and though the game may seem interesting it is just a game. Isn't it about time we stop it.
05-21-2009
clambake
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hope4dopes
Isn't it about time we stop it.
you already wasted 8 years.
you didn't seem too bothered.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
I didn't know instant tea was illegal.
05-21-2009
hope4dopes
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by clambake
you already wasted 8 years.
you didn't seem too bothered.
I didn't vote the dolt.
05-21-2009
George Gervin's Afro
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Anything that yoni is for I'm against. In all honesty these terror dudes wouldn't do so well with the general population in prsion. i say we let them loose in prison so they can deal with American justice.. I'd give them a week.
05-21-2009
hope4dopes
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
I didn't know instant tea was illegal.
I'm not a republican, and guess what you'd be amazed at how many democrats went to those tea parties and guess what else there's another one on the 4 of july so everybody get out there and get active.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hope4dopes
I'm not a republican, and guess what you'd be amazed at how many democrats went to those tea parties and guess what else there's another one on the 4 of july so everybody get out there and get active.
I think it's actually more fun when you guys don't get the jokes.
05-21-2009
George Gervin's Afro
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hope4dopes
I'm not a republican, and guess what you'd be amazed at how many democrats went to those tea parties and guess what else there's another one on the 4 of july so everybody get out there and get active.
I won't be there. Have a happy fourth!
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonivore
Can you name a facility, in the states, that has the room for them?
The Two Rivers Detention Facility in Hardin, Montana.
05-21-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
The Two Rivers Detention Facility in Hardin, Montana.
"I understand the need to create jobs, but we're not going to bring al-Qaeda to Big Sky Country — no way, not on my watch," said Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat.
Doesn't seem to be in the cards...
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Hey, you asked.
Turns out there is plenty of room.
If you are against the rights of the people of Hardin to make their own decisions for their town, that's another argument.
05-21-2009
Yonivore
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChumpDumper
Hey, you asked.
Turns out there is plenty of room.
If you are against the rights of the people of Hardin to make their own decisions for their town, that's another argument.
They elected Max Baucus who, I would presume, has a greater understanding of the risks involved in taking over 200 of the most heinous terrorists in the world.
That's why we're a representative republic.
05-21-2009
ChumpDumper
Re: Glenn Greenwald:Terrorists in Prison -- is there anything the Right doesn't fear?
Again, if you are against local control and for complete control from the federal government, that's fine. I think Baucus is as much of a scared pussy as you are.