Comments on: Obama Says He Will Keep Military Commissions

By: jwest

jwest — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:11:51 +0000

jchem,

By way of Protein Wisdom, I just read a great article on the difference between liberalism and leftism. Just the thing for the TMV crowd, but Gandelman would never give it a stand-alone article because it doesn’t attack Dick Cheney.

Here it is:

http://www.flowidealism.org/Community/mp-michae...

By: jchem

jchem — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:01:17 +0000

jwest: "I’m beginning to think Obama may be as smart as George Bush……Nah"

I know this thread is a day old now, jwest, but this one is a knee slapper. Perhaps you will get some colorful comments in reply.

With regard to the post, perhaps Obama is reviving these tribunals because he needs to figure out a way to deal with the prisoners that are at Gitmo. Closing the place is one thing; doing something about the prisoners is quite another. If the senators are upset about this Bush-era policy, then perhaps they can take one for the team and ask Obama to send prisoners to their state. I'm sure the folks will cheer in unison with that move.

By: jwest

jwest — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:02:21 +0000

I’m beginning to think Obama may be as smart as George Bush…….

Nah.

By: ryanbiddulph

ryanbiddulph — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:53:21 +0000

2 shockers in about as many days. First the refusal to release the terror photos and now this.

Extreme individuals need to be brought to justice by any means necessary. The freedom which is afforded to all law-abiding citizens is a product of doing what might not be popular but what is right for the U.S. and its interests. If the ACLU attorneys always had their way we would live in anarchy. A nation of people with their own individually-decreed laws.

Congrats Mr. President. You went 2 for 2 this week

Ryan

By: AustinRoth

AustinRoth — Sat, 16 May 2009 06:09:33 +0000

If you simply look at all of Obama's actions and decisions through a filter that says, “what would an up-and-coming Left-wing dictator do”, they all make sense and fit together.

The funny thing is, I do not actually think he wants to be a Left-wing dictator, just establish a Socialist Democracy in place of a Republic. But his actions, as a whole, do fit the earlier pattern I describe.

By: GreenDreams

GreenDreams — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:49:51 +0000

There are plenty of judges with security clearance, so even IF any national secrets are involved, they can be handled under our world class justice system (not that world class is much of a standard )

Seriously, what national secrets could be revealed in such a trial? Do we think these prisoners are going to blurt out state secrets that the CIA told them in Gitmo? Or that they'll tell a jury things we couldn't even torture out of them? Cmon. What secrets could they possibly have that threatens us?

Anyone?

By: ChrisWWW

ChrisWWW — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:47:21 +0000

shannonlee,
The trouble is that these aren't normal military tribunals. These commissions are something else entirely. It's another halfway step between traditional tribunals and battlefield justice.

Basically, the Bush and Obama administrations have said that they can't convict these folks of terrorism under long established rules because they don't have the evidence. So instead of letting them go, or getting better evidence, they are lowering the bar.

The government shouldn't be able to change the rules to make it easier for them anytime they want. That's dangerous.

By: shannonlee

shannonlee — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:37:20 +0000

We should be thanking Obama for keep the few good things that came out of the Bush Admin. We have to give these people trials….we can't just keep them jailed without charging and convicting them of something real.