Last updated on 2011.03.13
President Barack Obama has demonstrated Bushian hypocrisy in authorizing military trials for detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Dr. Blanchard offers details and due criticism. I offer no rebuttal.
President Obama's Defense Department is subjecting Private Bradley Manning, American citizen and soldier, to prolonged forced nudity and sleep deprivation. This treatment, for a man awaiting trial for the capital offense of revealing what our government actually says and does, is easily deemed an Orwellian disgrace, if not a violation of fundamental human rights, if not outright torture.
State Department spokesman and Air Force veteran P.J. Crowley called the government's treatment of Manning "ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid." For this dissent, Mr. Crowley has been fired by President Obama.
Says Mr. Crowley from unemployment, "The exercise of power in today's challenging times and relentless media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values."
Mr. President, you won your current position by convincing a lot of us that you exercise that awesome power more prudently and consistently than your predecessor. Your current actions on Guantanamo, Manning, and Crowley make it difficult for me to argue that you are living up to that expectation.
Government whistleblowers are part of a healthy democracy and must be protected from reprisal. —Barack Obama, 2008.
Senator Obama ran as a centrist and governs from the center as president, Mr. Heidelberger; the President also promised to dialogue with the enemy. The trials at GTMO are necessary to defend the "unlawful combatant" language or the US is in big trouble under international law, as if an illegal US Naval base in Cuba wasn't flagrant enough.
Frustration is generally good for democracy and Mr. Crowley signed off on that. If we big D Democrats get complacent, the US Congress will look like the chemical toilet does today; no sane person wants that.
Watch Cuba, and listen for Tim Pawlenty to make some noises from Florida. Minnesota has stuff to sell; too bad South Dakota does not.
Cori,
Don't get your knickers in a knot.
Pvt Manning's attorney, Lt Col Coombs, filed an Article 138, Complaint of Wrongs, on 11 March 2011. The Article requires the Court Martial convening authority to investagate and respond to each alligation of wrongs and report the findings. If Pvt Manning was subjected to treatment not in compliance with Brig regulations or the UCMJ then those who violated the regulations will be punished. Do not be so quick to jump to conclusions.
Guantanamo Bay Brig remains open because Barrack Obama is now President and not a candidate for the office. Fact now trumps personal wishes.
If we were at war with a nation, those at Guantanamo Bay would be held as prisoners of war until the war was over, but since we are not war with a nation but with 1% of a religion I think we are still searching for the correct way to handle those we capture and who remain a threat.
I still think the actions of Sept 11th 2001 were a matter for the courts and not military action. Most citizens of the U.S., on the evening of 11 Sept, demanded revenge and not action in a court. Emotion trumped logic and the military action in Afghanistan and against some crazies will continue to be fought years after I am dead and gone, unless someone finally has the political courage to call a terrorist act against the United States a criminal act and not an act calling for military action.
Larry, as much as I respect you, please explain to me how Guantanamo Bay is an illegal base in Cuba. The U.S. extended a lease for that port with the Cuban government. The Cubans may not have been happy about it but it was extended legally under international law. Fact not emotion.
Joseph G Thompson
P.S.
There is a difference between whistle blowing and treason.
Joseph G Thompson
Bless your heart, Mr. Thompson, I coulda swore ip nuked all my bridges to your state.
ip left a link over at Dr. Blanchard's place that looks to me like evidence that President Obama is sneaking normalization with Cuba through the back door: http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=906355
Am I nuts?
Larry,
I too agree that it's time to recognize the government of Cuba. They have only been in power for 60 years, it is time.
Only disagree with saying that Naval Base Guantanamo is an illegal port.
Always respect the opinions of a service brat, my son is one too. Think of you and of Chief Kurtz often, you are family.
Joseph G Thompson
The Castro government dissolved the constitution under which the Platt Amendment was negotiating making the lease null and void.
negotiated.
Larry,
The Platt amendment was repealed in 1934. Base operates under an agreement reached in 1934 allowing the base to remain unless both Cuba and the US agree to its removal.
Cuba says no the US says yes. Cuba has never(to my knowledge) sued in either a US or an international court to overturn the agreement.
Not saying that as a gesture of good will that we should not return the bay to Cuba, just that the base is legal.
Joseph G Thompson
PS They(the Castro government) did cash one rent payment check
Exactly, Mr. Thompson. One country's revolution is another's violation of international law. The ole fighting a battleship with a pea-shooter problem.
Thank you for the kind words. Best wishes to you.
The description of making someone stay awake during the day and sleep naked is a violation of fundamental human rights? I'll tell my boss that next time I want a nap. Its a stretch to call that prolonged nudity and sleep deprivation. What he is being subjected to is less humiliating than boot camp. I would expect better treatment than solitary but I'm not surprised his guards have picked on the treasonous dope at least a few times.
I have much more of a problem with rendition than I ever have with Guantanamo. I don't understand why they can't get off the pot though. Military tribunals make sense but delaying them, or any other kind of trial, for full decade makes none.
Crowley has little to do with anything. It is just another example of Stanley McChrystal. You can't stay a part of the team after insulting your own captain, whether or not it is deserved.
Cory: I have some comments at SDP.
[CAH: http://southdakotapolitics.blogs.com/south_dakota_politics/2011/03/obama-goes-bush-on-private-manning.html -- Indeed you have, Ken! And intelligent those comments are. I highly receommend them to my readers.]