The first Gitmo trial (political!)

[oggbashan]

The first trial of a Guantanamo detainee has been completed.

Setting aside the disputed legality of the military tribunal, its decision has been that the accused (Osma Bin Laden's driver) has been acquitted on some charges and has to serve only five months more for the charge he was convicted on.

But the US Administration has announced that he will not be released at the end of those five months because he is still a threat.

WTF?

What is the point of setting up a trial with prosecution and defence lawyers if whatever the result the detainee goes back to his cell?

Gitmo is damaging the US's reputation throughout the world and is NOT helping the war against terror as it is a potent recruiting symbol for those hating the US.

This latest farce just stokes the fires of hatred and makes it very difficult for the US's friends and allies to defend the US's policies.

Og

 

[matriarch]

The wife read this news report out to me last night. She was almost speechless with OUTRAGE. And so am I.

It's a farce, the whole thing. They have effectively decreed that they are above the laws that the rest of the world has to live by. What price justice.

 

[keeblercrumb]

The first trial of a Guantanamo detainee has been completed.

Setting aside the disputed legality of the military tribunal, its decision has been that the accused (Osma Bin Laden's driver) has been acquitted on some charges and has to serve only five months more for the charge he was convicted on.

But the US Administration has announced that he will not be released at the end of those five months because he is still a threat.

WTF?

What is the point of setting up a trial with prosecution and defence lawyers if whatever the result the detainee goes back to his cell?

Gitmo is damaging the US's reputation throughout the world and is NOT helping the war against terror as it is a potent recruiting symbol for those hating the US.

This latest farce just stokes the fires of hatred and makes it very difficult for the US's friends and allies to defend the US's policies.

Og

Well, what it was is that we had all this extra money in the budget lying around.... and someone said.... "Why don't we hold some trials down in Gitmo, hire a bunch of lawyers, fly the press down and it will make everything will seem.....like justice or something?? The best part is that we don't have to actually let them go, when we are done!!!"

Don't criticize them when they finally show a little creativity please!

-KC

 

[Liar]

I don't know how it works in the States, but when someone is sentenced to prison over here, the time they have been incarcerated awaiting trial is usually deducted from the sentance, except for major felonies.

And if this guy only gets five months, nothing major could have stuck.

In which case, he already has done his time. And then some.

Of course, this isn't the States. It's Gitmo. So then I know even less.

 

[matriarch]

I don't know how it works in the States, but when someone is sentenced to prison over here, the time they have been incarcerated awaiting trial is usually deducted from the sentance, except for major felonies.

And if this guy only gets five months, nothing major could have stuck.

In which case, he already has done his time. And then some.

Of course, this isn't the States. It's Gitmo. So then I know even less.

He was sentence to 5 years I think and they deducted the time he has spent in custody, h ence only having 5 months left to serve.

 

[Liar]

He was sentence to 5 years I think and they deducted the time he has spent in custody, h ence only having 5 months left to serve.

Thanks. Yeah, I found a newsbit on Google now. Still, five years is minor, if we consider de facto terrorism.

 

[rgraham666]

The people behind this do not believe in the law. It's as simple as that.

So I'm not surprised.

 

[matriarch]

The people behind this do not believe in the law. It's as simple as that.

So I'm not surprised.

Indeed.

Rendition
Gitmo.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

OGG

Maybe he's a prisoner of war?

 

[impressive]

The people behind this do not believe in the law. It's as simple as that.

So I'm not surprised.

Oh, they believe in it -- for the masses. They just believe they're above it.

The whole mess is totally disgusting and makes me quite ashamed of "my" government.

 

[rgraham666]

Oh, they believe in it -- for the masses. They just believe they're above it.

The whole mess is totally disgusting and makes me quite ashamed of "my" government.

You're quite right. I stand corrected.

They sure resemble the Soviets they grew up hating, don't they?

 

[starrkers]

The first trial of a Guantanamo detainee has been completed.

Setting aside the disputed legality of the military tribunal, its decision has been that the accused (Osma Bin Laden's driver) has been acquitted on some charges and has to serve only five months more for the charge he was convicted on.

But the US Administration has announced that he will not be released at the end of those five months because he is still a threat.

WTF?

What is the point of setting up a trial with prosecution and defence lawyers if whatever the result the detainee goes back to his cell?

Gitmo is damaging the US's reputation throughout the world and is NOT helping the war against terror as it is a potent recruiting symbol for those hating the US.

This latest farce just stokes the fires of hatred and makes it very difficult for the US's friends and allies to defend the US's policies.

Og

And people wonder why David Hicks agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a nine-month sentence to be served in Australia.

Poor bastard is finally free.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

STARRKERS

I'd shoot the bastards and dump them in the ocean if I ruled the world. And it will happen sooner than later.

 

[keeblercrumb]

Dreams of Polina

JibberishJB:

Do we try "prisoners of war" now? Which is it? Oh never mind.... you will just hit your "non-sequitor" generator which obviously has a two sentance limit and hit "submit".... Don't bother....

As for shooting bastards and tossing 'em in the ocean.... All I can say is you will hardly be missed....

But we will have to post warnings on the seafood for awhile....

-KC

 

[SlickTony]

This is a guy with a 4th-grade education, who needed a job. This is like if the guy who owns my company (it's a publishing house) were to commit some high crimes, and they grabbed, tortured, tried and convicted the summer intern.

 

[Pure]

these trials are a real embarrassment. the issue of tortured confessions will keep arising.

the changing nature of the charges; the withholding of evidence from defense scrutiny, etc. undermine everything.

and the coup de grace, so to say, is that if the gov't "wins" the trial, the fellow gets X many years; BUT if the gov case *fails*, the person will continue to be held without trial so long as the US pleases, and the "war on terror" exists, which is presumably another 100 years or more.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Osama Bin Ladin's Driver.

It's his pizza delivery man we should really be after.

I'm just so proud of the USA.

 

[3113]

As for shooting bastards and tossing 'em in the ocean.... All I can say is you will hardly be missed....

But we will have to post warnings on the seafood for awhile....

Ew! Can't we just put him in a block of concrete or something? I really like my grilled halibut.

 

[torchthebitch]

OGG

Maybe he's a prisoner of war?

originally there was the concept of Prisoners of war who were held by the capturing power until the end of hostilities or they were repatriated for humanitarian reasons.

After WWII the Allied powers introduced the concept of War Crimes on which is based the International Criminal Court. The USA chose not to sign up to this.

The "War on Terror" is a Bush administration concept. From this was created the concept of "Illegal Combatants". This, and extraordinary rendition, have corrupted the American justice system. Under the "Illegal Combatants" concept, the American Flying Tigers, who assisted the Chinese before the US entry into WWII, could have been prosecuted by the Japanese.

In fact, given that the US has enacted retrospective legislation to bring about the charges, Japan could do the same and demand extradition of the surviving Flying Tigers, Germany could demand extradition of Americans who fought in the Battle of Britain, and Spain could extradite Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War.

That is the measure of the fuck-up Bush has made of American justice.

Also where would that leave Americans who fought in Africa and Indochina in the French Foreign Legion?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

TORCHTHEBITCH

Naah REALPOLITIK is what it is. No nation is obliged to respect pirates. Pirates exist outside the protection of states, otherwise they'd be privateers.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

TORCHTHEBITCH

Naah REALPOLITIK is what it is. No nation is obliged to respect pirates. Pirates exist outside the protection of states, otherwise they'd be privateers.

If they're pirates then give them a civil trial, not a mock military one. That means they have a right to habeus corpus and no double jeopardy.

Under Bush's rules, the Founding Fathers would be Enemy Combatants and terrorists as well. The whole "War on Terror" is nothing but a bullshit 1984 power-grab by the executive branch.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

DOC

Dubya tops my list of pirates, though 'Perfumed Prince' is what I normally call him. He doesnt have the right stuff to be a self-respecting pirate; he's more like Commodus in GLADIATOR.

No one gives a pirate a civil trial; theyre pirates! You shoot the son of a bitch and toss him overboard.

 

[keeblercrumb]

Dreams of Polina

DOC

Dubya tops my list of pirates, though 'Perfumed Prince' is what I normally call him. He doesnt have the right stuff to be a self-respecting pirate; he's more like Commodus in GLADIATOR.

Being the chastened asshole that I am, can I ask an honest question? Did you vote for this Prince? How many times?

Just curious... on your perspective.

-KC

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

KEEBLER

Are you kidding? Why would anyone vote for Dubya?

We got Dubya because Al Gore is a silly shit who defied good advice about how to knock Dubya off.

I dont know what I'm gonna do in November; its a choice between Unicorn Man and Captain Queeg.

 

[keeblercrumb]

Dreams of Polina

KEEBLER

Are you kidding? Why would anyone vote for Dubya?

We got Dubya because Al Gore is a silly shit who defied good advice about how to knock Dubya off.

I dont know what I'm gonna do in November; its a choice between Unicorn Man and Captain Queeg.

So.... you abstained? Twice?

-KC