 |
| Doghouse_Reilly |
on Thu 22 Jan 09, 10:17 PM to Doghouse_Reilly's blog.
My favourite line of President Obama's inauguration speech was this one.
| We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. |
Less than 36 hours after saying those words President Obama initiated the closure of the Guatanamo Bay prison, directed that methods of interrogation considered to be torture were to no longer be used by American personnel and ended the practice of prisoner rendition by the CIA. No messing about, just a few quick signatures and the USA is once again a part of the civilised world.
Sooner or later this president is bound to disappoint me, but for the time being I'm enjoying the fact that he is exceeding all my expectations. Today is a good day.
| 22 Jan 09, 10:30 PM larra_uk 7 yrs |
I was also chuffed to bits when I read this, he has also changed America's policy of non interference in the Middle East and has publically supported the cease fire. I am filled with hope with this one. larra x | |||
| 22 Jan 09, 10:41 PM penwiggle UK(CB), 5 yrs  |
Now, if we can get him to see sense on gay marriages and the freedom of choice when it comes to abortion, then perhaps America might be a tempting place to live again. Would be nice to get religion out of the White House too. Doesn't belong there. Pen You say Ouch like it's a bad word. | |||
| 22 Jan 09, 11:20 PM JustPlainOldKinky UK(DA), 3 yrs |
Pen im not sure where you get yur information from, but you might want to research how the US govern their county as any marriage issues gay or straight is governed by each individual state and is not a federal issue. As far as i am aware any woman in the US is able to opt for an abortion if that is her choice...no different from good old blighty... Finally there has been separation of church and state for over 200 years, unlike here in the UK. enslaved hubby | |||
| 22 Jan 09, 11:46 PM El_Presidente UK(G), 4 yrs    |
Yeah, on paper, at least. It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. | |||
| 22 Jan 09, 11:48 PM CookieMonster UK, 6 yrs |
one fith of those freed so far have gone back to their old ways including a suicide bomber in iraq targeting Shias. So the question is what to do with them. Reversing rumsfields cock-ups is the easy part, the question then becomes what next? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kTsPehGscVY | |||
| 23 Jan 09, 12:08 AM Doghouse_Reilly UK(MK), 6 yrs |
After what was done to them are you actually surprised? As to what to do next, charge them and try them or let them go. Simple really. Anybody who says truth is stranger than fiction has never seen tentacle porn. | |||
| 23 Jan 09, 2:35 AM mq1965 UK(DA), 8 yrs |
Let them go where? That seems to be the big problem. I'd always assumed they would be returned to Afghanistan, and that that is what they would want, but apparently it isn't so simple - hence the feelers about the UK taking some. I'm not very keen on that, because whether they were mad Taleban fighters in the first place or have been radicalised by years in Guantanamo (or most likely a combination of both) I somehow can't see them being the most stable and law abiding of citizens in the west. | |||
| 23 Jan 09, 4:09 AM Doghouse_Reilly UK(MK), 6 yrs |
I'd say put them back where they got them from. If that isn't possible then either the US or UK should take them in, hell if there's any justice they should get a fat load of compensation too. Innocent until proven guilty is how the Western countries roll, not presumed guilty and tortured for several years with no access to due process. Disappearing and brutalising people like we're the old Warsaw Pact makes me sick. If there was real justice of course Bush and Cheney would be tried and jailed for their part in setting this all up. If the former Guatanamo prisoners become terrorists after release that's up to them. It's the same with any crime, you prove it in court or you let the suspect walk. And yes it bothers me that some of the people in Guatanamo Bay were actually terrorists and may be so again, but this comes down to the crowning fuck up in the catastrofuck that is the Guatanamo policy, none of those men can be tried in a real court now. Obama is doing the right thing and going by the law, the constitution and the spirit of what America was set up to be, as opposed to taking the easy option and throwing the law books out the window. He should be commended for it. I do wonder how this might bite him in the arse though. Anybody who says truth is stranger than fiction has never seen tentacle porn. | |||
| 23 Jan 09, 6:34 AM Wiley_Kit UK(PE), 7 yrs |
Well aparantly they couldn't find a bible in the place for when he took his oath, maybe its a sign, well one could hope! I can't believe I've no control | |||
| 23 Jan 09, 9:32 AM just_the_two_of_us 5 yrs |
"If there was real justice of course Bush and Cheney would be tried and jailed for their part in setting this all up". Well said Doghouse_Reilly, be good if they were put up for war crimes. |
