Guantanamo Turns 15 Today

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Wed Jan 11, 2017 at 04:40:37 PM EST
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Guantanamo turns 15 today. Democratic legislators have sent a letter to Obama urging him to shut it down so Trump can't further abuse it. The letter is here.

A letter sent to the White House on Wednesday by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and obtained by the Guardian, warns of “torture’s resurgence” under the Trump administration unless Obama fulfills his thwarted “laudable” pledge to close Guantánamo.

[More...]

“[W]ith only days before your term ends, we ask that you definitively close the site by rapidly pursuing any and all options within your existing authority to seek lawful disposition of all of the 55 remaining individuals languishing in the camp,” the 40 Democratic members of the caucus wrote. “Mr Trump must be deprived of the use of Guantánamo Bay.”

Obama has been prevented from moving the detainees to facilities in the U.S. by Republican enacted funding restriction laws.

18 more detainees are expected to go to other countries before Obama leaves office. There will then be 37 remaining. Considering where Obama began, he's done a commendable job. Don't blame him, blame Republicans.

I won't be surprised to see Trump try and put Americans at Gitmo. In the meantime, watch your dollars go to waste in Afghanistan.

Don't blame Obama for not closing Gitmo. The blame is with Republicans.

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Guantanamo Turns 15 Today | 12 comments (12 topical)

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NIMBY... (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by fishcamp on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 11:06:01 AM EST

: Ummm... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by kdog on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 11:48:41 AM EST

Last time I looked at a map, the gulag is in your backyard Fishcamp.
I'd prefer a proper federal prison with full access to the courts and legal protections for alleged criminals in my backyard....but I guess we blew that cuz torture.

Vice had a special (none / 0) (#1)
by Militarytracy on Wed Jan 11, 2017 at 06:06:57 PM EST

With some of the past detainees who were some of the first released to the UK. They spoke about the torture they survived. Marines telling them should be thankful for their three squares a day...unlike where they came from, where Marines didn't understand they were also having three square meals a day.

One of them said when he was distressed a gitmo shrink sat outside his cell and asked him if he ever thought about taking his pants, threading his bed sheet through them to make a noose, and then tying it off in the corner of his cell so he could hang himself? It sounded eerie, like she was instructing him in how to do it.

As Paton is quoted: (none / 0) (#11)
by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jan 13, 2017 at 08:10:54 AM EST

I don't like having to pay for same ground twice.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), as of September 2016, 693 detainees have been transferred from Guantanamo Bay. According to th ODNI, 122 (17.6%) are 'Confirmed' as returning to terrorist or militant activities, while 86 (12.4%) are suspected by them of the same.[3]

That's in the neighborhood of 207 terrorists.

: I agree (1.00 / 1) (#13)
by FlJoe on Fri Jan 13, 2017 at 08:38:45 AM EST

we, we did not fight the cold war for nothing, let's ship all the Putin Puppet Quislings to Gitmo!

Sorta out on the edge there (none / 0) (#2)
by BTAL on Wed Jan 11, 2017 at 07:12:00 PM EST

with

I won't be surprised to see Trump try and put Americans at Gitmo.

As to Afghanistan, Obama ran on it being the "good war" in 2008.

Sounds a little crazy, huh? (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Yman on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 10:11:23 AM EST

The problem is, that's your POTUS in just a few days.

Donald Trump suggests trying Americans at Guantanamo Bay


Sorta like using drones (none / 0) (#4)
by BTAL on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 10:54:16 AM EST

to kill U.S. Citzens. When its your POTUS guess the rules change.


Not really (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Yman on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 12:04:13 PM EST

I'm against both.

But I'd want to change the subject, too, if I was the one claiming it was "out on the edge" to suggest that Trump would keep US citizens in Guantanamo, when he's already made the suggestion himself.


I'm against both too (none / 0) (#8)
by BTAL on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 01:30:43 PM EST

However, Trump comments haven't happened. The drone killings have. So, actual events are beyond the edge.


: So expressing concern about (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by Yman on Thu Jan 12, 2017 at 01:41:34 PM EST

... something Trump may do is "beyond the edge" - even when he expressly states he may do it - until he actually does it, at which point it's too late.
Sure. That's what you were saying.

Perfect tie-in to the Biden medal of freedom BS (none / 0) (#14)
by Dadler on Sun Jan 15, 2017 at 09:47:19 AM EST

What a disgrace. (link)