January 22nd, 2009 by TNM

President Obama’s opening days as POTUS certainly is shaking some things up, there’s no doubt about that.

First on the list; An executive order to close the camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba within one year.

There is a lot of what looks like to me misdirection starting here concerning this, and from the AP article on Foxnews the following was what caught my eye:

The order directs all information regarding the remaining 245 detainees be consolidated in a central repository and will create a panel to review those cases and split the detainees up into three categories.

Yes but WHERE? is this panel going to derive it’s powers from? Who appoints these Panel members? Where do you draw them from?

Call me stubborn, but I see an Army of ACLU types being appointed on this panel, meaning hard left liberals, the same people that supported Obama, and that have pushed for the granting of US constitutional rights for these terrorists all along. This is dangerous in the extreme, what’s next? they all walk free because a Infantry Man 9 years ago forgot to Miranda them?

The three categories of detainees

Category one is comprised of the 70 detainees that President Bush sought to repatriate but couldn’t because no country wants them, and they would likely be tortured at home. The Obama administration believes they can get foreign countries to take them.

How? What country? If Bush couldn’t get them sent home, or had concerns about the treatment of these people after their release, (NOW the press gives Bush some credit!?! So much for that Bush=Hitler routine there. but that’s another argument) then what has changed here? Answer: Nothing.
Obama is going to run into the same issues Bush did, so now what do we do? Release them in the US?

Category two is the group of detainees that can be prosecuted under war crimes in Article III courts federal courts designed to address cases that involve citizens of other countries or tried in modified military commissions. This includes Sept. 11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammad. The administration would seek a stay on habeas petitions in Article III courts and continuances on the ongoing military commissions.

Interesting, so this is some stupendous “change”? How? In effect they just took a “time out” …but for what purpose?
This is just simple Misdirection, these people aren’t stupid, they will simply let other more pressing matters fill the short memory spans of the public, and quietly one day this whole thing will be over. We’ll never see what happens, because they don’t want us to or if we do hear about it, it will be too late to have our voices heard, especially those of us that are in favor of trying them in military courts.

Category three is made up of detainees who can’t be released and can’t be tried. The thought is to create a panel, which could turn into a national security court, to handle these future highest-value detainees to determine prospective policy since terrorists like Al Qaeda chief Usama bin Laden will continue to be caught.

Oh boy, there’s a mind blower for sure! Obamba hasn’t took his first shower in the White House, but the implication here is pretty clear, he’s gonna get Osama Bin Laden!! The war on terror is over!!
That’s a little bit mean spirted I suppose but it has to be said, the worship in the press is just flat out disgusting anymore.
But miracle of all miracles, Obama, his staff and all these Democrats just woke up to one startling fact….
If you do Catch Bin Laden (whom I firmly believe is dead at this stage) what are you going to do with him?
Can’t try him, so what are you going to do with this so called panel? Really? Take him out back and shoot him in the Rose Garden?

Hopefully a patriotic soldier knowing what the danger would be of having the likes of Bin Laden paraded in front of cameras and made a press spectacle out of will know what to do. And that is kill him, no questions asked, no quarter given. Avenge your fallen brothers and countrymen, send him to hell.

While I see this as pretty vague over all, and typically political doublespeak, This is a dangerous opening play by the president. One thing that cannot be argued is that, these people in Guantanamo didn’t get there by accident. They were caught on a field of battle in foreign lands, and not in the capacity of a United States Citizen. Exteneding them rights afford Americans is a disaster waiting to happen.

I fear seeing this turn into an ACLU led feel good appeasement to those that brought his Election win, one that centers on a reversal of the Bush policies, and knee jerk reactions that these people have been mis-treated, and now are due some sort of compensation under our Constitution.

If it reaches that state we all know that our Judaical System is full of holes and cracks, that while for the most part, it functions in the manner it is meant to, there are times that a lawyer, at least any worth their salt,  can find away around things.

For Example, I think it would be a fair claim to say that any case that the courts may bring against a ‘detainee’ could in theory be immediately tossed because there were no Miranda rights given to the combatants, making everything after that null and void. How many court cases despite overwhelming evidence of guilt  have been tossed on this technicality? Face it, you can’t have it half way and say well they are only entitled to protection under some of the bill of rights.

What happens then? Where does this violent person wind up? In our streets? What’s next, reparations for grievances?

What happens if they escape while being held some where in the US awaiting either panel reviews or extradition? Then what?

I understand full well how much of a mess this whole detainee situation is, but appeasement, and knee jerk reactions, as well as extending constitutional guarantees to those who don’t deserve them is dangerous.