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Shut Down Guantánamo


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The time has come to shut down the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, try the remaining detainees in a court of law, or release them if there are no real charges against them. Guantánamo is a black eye on America’s reputation around the world and has become a symbol of the Bush Administration’s disregard for the most basic of human rights.

I join the Center for Constitutional Rights and The New York Times to say that if America is to represent democracy and freedom it cannot at the same time lock people away without access to courts or attorneys. Guantánamo Bay must be shut down and the remaining 540 detainees must be charged and tried or released.  Nor must the Administration be allowed to ship the detainees off to be tortured and abused in countries with appalling human rights records and no direct American accountability, as has already happened.

Guantánamo does not represent American values.  Shut it down.

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I don't think they will shut it down, for the simple reason that the clamour to close it will never reach that which would arise if they did close it and then opened another one, somewhere, for the Iranians!!

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It should be shut down. It is a disgrace. I am all for the strictest punishment for terrorists, but only after a fair trial. No one has the right to prejudge anyone. Everyone is entitled to have a trial and have their guilt proved or otherwise.

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In its campaign to portray the Guantánamo Bay prison for terrorism suspects as humane, the Bush administration has made a rare disclosure: The Pentagon is spending $2.5 million a year to provide proper Muslim meals to prisoners behind the razor wire in isolated Cuba.

That's $12.68 a day in meals for each suspect -- or, a Herald survey has found, five times the cost of feeding Florida prisoners.

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, divulged the cost in television appearances protesting an Amnesty International assessment of Guantánamo as a ''gulag,'' comparing it to the Soviet-era penal system where prisoners sometimes starved in forced-labor camps.

Guantánamo ''is essentially a model facility,'' Myers said on Fox News Sunday. ``The contracts for the food, to ensure that our detainees have the proper Muslimapproved food, is $2.5 million annually, just to make sure they're fed right.''

In contrast, the Miami-Dade Corrections Department spends $2.19 a day on each prisoner's food -- or $3.60, if you calculate salaries and equipment, says Cmdr. Debbie Graham

''Special care goes into the handling, preparation, delivery and serving of these culturally prepared foods,'' said Blackner. ``All food given to detainees at Guantánamo Bay is prepared with special consideration for Islamic culture and practices.''

To put the prisoners' food costs in perspective, the Herald contacted several penal institutions.

*The Florida Department of Corrections pays its contractor, Aramark, $2.51 a day to feed each inmate, whether it is a regular meal, kosher or other special needs, said spokesman Robby Cunningham.

*Broward County spends $2.97 a day, an average of 99 cents a meal, on each prisoner, said Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Hugh Graf.

*The Federal Bureau of Prisons, which has 14 facilities around the country, spends $2.78 on each prisoner, special-needs meals included, said spokeswoman Carla Wilson.

Meanwhile, the 450 or so soldiers incarcerated at the military's lockup, the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., eat for $6.02 to $8.17 a day, depending on the market price of food, said Fort Leavenworth spokeswoman Janet Wray.

http://www.dma.thaiembdc.org/early%20bird/...0609372830.html

They are living better than they would back home. Poor guys.

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Could we perhaps get Geldof to go and chant Koranic platitudes and aphorisms to them as well. He could then perhaps get the Pope, the Dali Lama and Nelson Mandella to do a barbers shop trio act for them as an encore.

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Could we perhaps get Geldof to go and chant Koranic platitudes and aphorisms to them as well. He could then perhaps get the Pope, the Dali Lama and Nelson Mandella to do a barbers shop trio act for them as an encore.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Post this at the Pit scarecrow man.

It would be nice to have another sane American fighting the battle against the blind, 'Go USA'  rednecks over there.

I am Canadian, but consider myself sane. :)

I am definetley NOT a "Go USA" redneck... I do live on a farm, but I am a systems administrator for a library... :P

Battle against the blind... That's a perfect way to put it. A 'veil' has been pulled over America.. it's call "Media" or "News" in some languages, in mine it's called lies.

Forgive me, but I think Bush is leaning a little to far toward "Nazi" ... :o

Dueces Wild: I realize that, this is why I posted this... It's ridiculous to spend so much money on "terrorists"... How about closing down a prison or two, and open some new public schools... ??

/rant

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How about giving them all a trial?

In view of the latest example of American justice (the Thing) do you really think the world is ready for another "Media Spectacular". :blink:

Perhaps not :ninja: :ninja:

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The "Thing" spectacular isn't over yet.

Apparently Martin Bashir (or is that Basher) has gone into hiding and that weirdo mate of the Thing, Urine Geller, has some damning evidence against the Basher in favour of the Thing.

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The "Thing" spectacular isn't over yet.

Apparently Martin Bashir (or is that Basher) has gone into hiding and that weirdo mate of the Thing, Urine Geller, has some damning evidence against the Basher in favour of the Thing.

O.M.G. this is getting more like one of Ronald Reagan's or John Wayne's 'B' movies every day. :blink: :blink: :blink:

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Hurdy

Post this at the Pit scarecrow man.

Don't bother wasting your time

You'll just get some very long posts with the usual puerile flag waving crap ....from people who swear blind that they are broad minded non nationalistic liberal citizens ......

Bush can do no wrong, for he walks and talks with the lord,........ his god ......

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Hurdy
Post this at the Pit scarecrow man.

Don't bother wasting your time

You'll just get some very long posts with the usual puerile flag waving crap ....from people who swear blind that they are broad minded non nationalistic liberal citizens ......

And you will get some very short posts with the usual Bush and America hating crap.....from people who swear blind that they are broad minded non Bush haters and America lovers having no political agendas......the usual ones who cannot see the forest from the trees.

Arf....arf. :rolleyes:

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arf...I live on the edge of Epping forest ....heh......... and tree's in my garden

and shrubs ...which I derive great pleasure in pruning (takes all sorts )

I don't hate the country ....just the administration of it ........and Ive always had an interest in politics ...Most of the crap I post here has had some sort of political slant ........one way or another

but ...... Fairly amusing ...deuecs

I guess everyones views are far too entrenched to change

.... Otherwise the shrub and the poodle wouldn't have got re elected

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:D Fair enough Tankus. I can see where you are coming from. Half the US dislikes Bush....but the other half like him. There will always be folks who disagree with polticians. Thankfuly we are both in free countries that allow us to do that....a freedom that Iraqi citizens are now enjoying and are thankful for. ;)

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. Thankfuly we are both in free countries that allow us to do that....a freedom that Iraqi citizens are now enjoying and are thankful for

oh dear ........... but I'm just too tired tonight to repost .....early night tonight for me ..methinks

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Thankfuly we are both in free countries that allow us to do that....a freedom that Iraqi citizens are now enjoying and are thankful for

Freedom, Yes... but an American definition of freedom...............If they wanted to be Americans they would have came here themselves a long time ago.

As for those too poor to speak for themselves, who actually wanted said 'Freedom' chances are the only thing they wanted was some food, water, and a shelter... What they got was bombs, US troops, and one :censored: up election.

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