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Home Front: WoT
Bush says he would like to close Gitmo
2006-05-08
BERLIN (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said he would like to close the U.S.-run prison at Guantanamo Bay -- a step urged by several U.S. allies -- but was awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on how suspects held there might be tried. "Of course Guantanamo is a delicate issue for people. I would like to close the camp and put the prisoners on trial," Bush said in comments to German television to be broadcast on Sunday night. The interview was recorded last week.

Bush was asked by the German public television station ARD how the United States could restore its human-rights image following reports of prisoner abuse. "Our top court must still rule on whether they should go before a civil or military court," he said. "They will get their day in court. One can't say that of the people that they killed. They didn't give these people the opportunity for a fair trial."
He should have pointed out more explicitly that the innocent dead are still dead, but that's pretty good.
The quotes were translated by Reuters from a German transcript.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end of June on whether military tribunals of foreign terrorist suspects can proceed.
Question is, after you try them, what do you do with them? It's unlikely we're going to execute any, let alone more than one or two. Some might be set free, but the rest?
Bush's comments were a reiteration of long-standing U.S. policy, Frederick Jones, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said in Washington. "The United States has no intention of permanently detaining individuals, that is not our goal. We want to see all these individuals brought to justice," he said, whether in their home countries or in the United States.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, however, has dismissed calls for the prison to be closed. "Every once and a while someone pops up and gets some press for saying 'Oh let's close Guantanamo Bay.' Well, if someone has a better idea, I'd like to hear it," Rumsfeld said in a February speech to the Council on Foreign Relations.

The United States has 480 detainees at Guantanamo and has freed or handed over to their home governments a total of 272. The Pentagon has said it has no interest in holding anyone longer than necessary but that it has been unable to arrange for some to return to their home countries.
Posted by:Steve White

#3  It sounds to me like there was a mistranslation somewhere along the way.

Heck, I'd like to be able to close Gitmo too, because all the nations these unlawful combatants come from and get their funding from suddenly became civilized.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2006-05-08 10:11  

#2  Not sure I buy this one, particularly out of Germany.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-05-08 08:01  

#1  Did the Bolsheviks win on this?
Did we scede our union to those who do not follow geneva convention style politics? With the heart for the truth of a fight missing, it is hard to know where to file this.

I would like to close it too, considering there are no more contaminates or viri fighting ths asymetrical war against all that is good and wholesome. I liked the sound of the "Seseme Street Torture" and "Metallica tennis" in that place. The Harry potter tales and exchange of fecal matter for the food we provided but I guess it is better to send them back to the hell from which they came. Who knew?

It is your Republic, George. Do as you see fit.
Posted by: newc   2006-05-08 01:32  

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