Dear Friend and Reader,
The Office of the President-Elect is working quietlyВ to coordinate release for a number of prisoners as well as trials for the remaining incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Under plans being put together in Obama’s camp, some detainees would be released and many others would be prosecuted in U.S. criminal courts.
A third group of detainees — the ones whose cases are most entangled in highly classified information — might have to go before a new court designed especially to handle sensitive national security cases, according to advisers and Democrats involved in the talks.
From the article, it appears Obama will face some opposition from both sides of Congress over the new court.В The structure of the new “third” court would be a hybrid of the current judicial system and possibly the military tribunal structure currently used by the Bush Administration.
Planet WavesВ will be following this story as it progresses.В
Yours and truly,
Fe Bongolan from San Francisco
Rendition was started during the Reagan Administration, but used by executive order during the Clinton Administration which had a vested interest in capturing Al-Qaeda, then a nascent organization, but big trouble for bombng the USS Cole.
See the wiki here:
Hey Fe,
I am really not very up on politics–i learn a lot from you. I was watching this movie last night called “Rendition” (Reese Witherspoon/Jake Gyllenhall) and it was about torture and Gitmo, but they said that a lot of the policy started during the Clinton Administration–is this true?
Rahmana
Amen. Thank heaven it is at least being addressed by the government. . . .even if only as a trial balloon. Glad you are keeping us informed on this topic. The shame is unbearable.
bkoehler:
Readng between the lines, from the article, it looks like its an idea of Obama and his advisers. At the very least, Obama does not want the detainees incarcerated without some judicial process, whether it be a more transparent military tribunal or civilian court. Gitmo is an international political lightning rod which reminds the world that Americans became a bunch of immoral sadistic creeps by the Bush Administration after 911.
At stake is the legal status of the detainees. Conservative members of COngress are going to press that normal laws governing the Gitmo detainees need to continue being suspended. Liberal members are concerned over the structure of a hybrid court.
Obamas dividing line is somewhere between a more transparent military tribunal or a highly secure civilian court. Not alot of walking room on either side with hesitation by the opposing forces of Congress.
Theres plenty of stirring up room by people like John Cornyn of TX who will say that Obama will be unleashing terrorists on US soil. A more practical approach would be to hold the trials, whatever they are, abroad.
I would take all ideas floated by the President-Elect’s office as the trial balloons for his agenda. Its a signal to his members of Congress about what’s at stake. Having Emanuel there as leash-master is going to make folks think twice before bolting.
Its going to be an interesting two months ahead of us.
Fe:
Does the article say why the Congress (some from both sides) would oppose the new court? Is this idea (combination of judicial & military) one person’s or from multiple minds?
bk
Carecare7. . . I honor my sense of men’s delicacy and power by letting them them know that I *see* their desire. See it and don’t flinch. See it and don’t use it to make them feel idiotic or shameful. The desiring part of my own gaze, the ‘takes-one-to-know-one’ part I see *with* is what I am calling The Dick.
It is much more satisfying –not to mention efficient– to go through 20 of those a day than the somewhat exhausting dance of multiple sexual partners. And I’ve never been phased by the disease/death meme that has been slapped over sexuality, which I’ve always seen as something of a desperate joke. OF COURSE to have sex, to come extravagantly is to practice dying. Why else would you do it? (Dat ol’ eighth house singing again…) As far as I’m concerned you can never over-rehearse that moment.
But seeing men in their wholeness, now that is *the* anti-rape. I have to stay on a certain wave of kindness and clarity while in the flow of it. . . but afterwards, I feel the gratitude. . . and surprise.
What could be better?
carecare7: Heeeey! Duh, right, slow-moving planets. Well my mates is in libra, so i guess i’m at the end of it. Are you into homeo-pathics or acupuncture or martial arts? Do you love vegetables too?
Rahmana,
::::waving:::: Another Pluto in Virgo here. It is a “generational” thing.
Hey, my Pluto is in Virgo! Wow, cool. Yeah. I believe his jump-shot mirrors what his accuracy in policy-making will look like. Picking Rahm is evidence of that. I honestly can’t say i’m a fan of the make-up of our political system in general (i’ve always thought it strange to think one person could do a job–should be groups), but he has multiple strengths and i’m excited to see how much and what kind of medicine he will prescribe . . .
I think its also his Pluto in Virgo. Not missing a detail, That One.
Leo’s are so good at that quiet rebellion thing. They smile and nod and listen and then do what the hell they want! I love it . . .