Murtha on Gitmo

[eliza61]

They are POWs. They should not receive a trial. Closing Gitmo without another viable POW camp is a huge mistake, IMO. 11% of those released to date have returned to terrorism - and those were the BEST of the lot...

Don't we have a little thing called the constitution that is supposed to guarentee a trail? Doesn't the Geneva and the Hague conventions govern how we are supposed to treat POW's? That's a question

 

[LakeAriel]

Don't we have a little thing called the constitution that is supposed to guarentee a trail? Doesn't the Geneva and the Hague conventions govern how we are supposed to treat POW's? That's a question

We do now!!!

we were ignoring it for 8 years

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Don't we have a little thing called the constitution that is supposed to guarentee a trail? Doesn't the Geneva and the Hague conventions govern how we are supposed to treat POW's? That's a question

No - enemies captured on the battlefield are not covered under the Constitution. They should be treated as POWs. No trial - just held until the war is over - if ever...

 

[DawnCt1]

You mean this Murtha?

In 1959, Murtha, then a captain, took command of the 34th Special Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown. He remained in the Reserves after his discharge from active duty until he volunteered for service in the Vietnam War, serving from 1966 to 1967, serving as a battalion staff officer (S-2 Intelligence Section), receiving the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He retired from the Reserves as a Colonel in 1990, receiving the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

He knows war and he is against the Iraqi war. He must be out of his mind.

Yes, that Murtha. Apparently he thought more of his country, his state and his service, then, than he does now.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We do now!!!

we were ignoring it for 8 years

We have been ignoring it since Lincoln took office...

 

[wvjules]

I heard John Murtha on the news this morning discussing the problem of where the detainees would be placed when Gitmo is closed. Apparently, Murtha has no problem housing the Gitmo detainees in Pennsylvania.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D95RRH1G0&show_article=1&catnum=0

Having only read the OP, where SHOULD they go? If Gitmo is closed they have to be housed somewhere. Why not PA?

 

[Mr Man]

You mean this Murtha?

In 1959, Murtha, then a captain, took command of the 34th Special Infantry Company, Marine Corps Reserves, in Johnstown. He remained in the Reserves after his discharge from active duty until he volunteered for service in the Vietnam War, serving from 1966 to 1967, serving as a battalion staff officer (S-2 Intelligence Section), receiving the Bronze Star with Valor device, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He retired from the Reserves as a Colonel in 1990, receiving the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

He knows war and he is against the Iraqi war. He must be out of his mind.

Yes, that's right. This Murtha.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/01/AR2006080101345.html

The only "former Marine" in the entire history of the USMC.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

You mean 89% returned to normal life? Wow..They must have had a great deal of stamina.

Actually, we have lost contact with most of them. The 11% is the confirmed percentage that returned to terrorism. I hope one of them doesn't wind up killing someone that you care about since you are so flippant about their release...

 

[DawnCt1]

You mean 89% returned to normal life? Wow..They must have had a great deal of stamina.

And a significant amount of them have no place to go because they are not welcomed back into their home countries. In addition, delaying the trials of enemy combatants, and the master mind of 9/11 makes little sense, since this plan was a bipartisan effort voted on by both houses. I can't think of a better terrorist target than a prison housing the worst of the worst, and they are the worst of the worst.

 

[wvjules]

OK, another stupid question from me.

Why close Gitmo? Why not just change it? We have a new administration with new ideals. Can't Obama keep it open just change the way it is run?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

No - enemies captured on the battlefield are not covered under the Constitution. They should be treated as POWs. No trial - just held until the war is over - if ever...

They aren't POWs. That's why we're even having a discussion about trials. Had they been classified as such, we could have legitimately held them until the end of the "war". Thing is, the Bush administration didn't just want "name, rank and serial number", they wanted intel, so they classified them as "enemy combatants". Seems long term thinking wasn't one of the Bush Administration's strong points..

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

OK, another stupid question from me.

Why close Gitmo? Why not just change it? We have a new administration with new ideals. Can't Obama keep it open just change the way it is run?

Because he trying to make other countries happy. Get used to it...

 

[purplepaint]

Mc Cain, an actual POW, is the staunchest supporter of stopping torture, and also was going to close Gitmo.

I am not sure where I said anything about McCain and his views on Gitmo. I was just simply stating that often on here there references made him having dementia and maybe like you said for Murtha it was because they just did not agree. Oh and my reasons for my opinions on Murtha do not just come from his view on Gitmo.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

They aren't POWs. That's why we're even having a discussion about trails. Had they been classified as such, we could have legitimately held them until the end of the "war". Thing is, the Bush administration didn't just want "name, rank and serial number", they wanted intel, so they classified them as "enemy combatants". Seems long term thinking wasn't one of the Bush Administration's strong points..

They are POWs. Bush was wrong. We all know that - heck, he even knows it. Trials are the result of his mistake. They need to be re-classified as POWs and locked away, not tried for something that will be almost impossible to prove. Who keeps evidence with a proper chain of custody in a war zone?

 

[mvazul]

Having only read the OP, where SHOULD they go? If Gitmo is closed they have to be housed somewhere. Why not PA?

Hey, why not West Virginia??? They have to go somewhere.

John Murtha is an idiot. He almost makes me embarrassed to be a Pennsylvanian. Almost. Then, I remember I don't support the guy.

Michelle

 

[Mr Man]

They aren't POWs. That's why we're even having a discussion about trails. Had they been classified as such, we could have legitimately held them until the end of the "war". Thing is, the Bush administration didn't just want "name, rank and serial number", they wanted intel, so they classified them as "enemy combatants". Seems thinking long term wasn't one of the Bush Administration's strong points..

I always preferred the "brigand/pirate" definition.....followed by a long drop from a short rope.

I don't really have a strong opinion on the close/open Gitmo thing other than an ocassional incredulous look to those on the left who are so concerned how we treat those who want to kill us.......but will just have to agree to disagree....

I just hope the word filters out to our "shooters" to stop taking prisoners from here on in.......it's like an even more politicized CIA will be able to do anything with it anyways.....

 

[wvjules]

Hey, why not West Virginia??? They have to go somewhere.

Fine by me, I live in MD now.

 

[Disneyadore]

Don't worry.

They all go to Europe and as its looks now they will be given a free life and all the benefits and the passport of the countries that will take them in.

There was a discussion about it just this afternoon in our parliament. They where called "poor innocent people".

 

[LakeAriel]

Could it be that many did not agree with McCain also? I do not how many times on the DIS people made reference to him having dementia. Any who John Murtha is an IDIOT and maybe him and Pelosi could open up a B&B for the detainees and make up for our horrible actions.

I am not sure where I said anything about McCain and his views on Gitmo. I was just simply stating that often on here there references made him having dementia and maybe like you said for Murtha it was because they just did not agree. Oh and my reasons for my opinions on Murtha do not just come from his view on Gitmo.

Looks like YOU mentioned Mc Cain..Now who's memory is failing!

 

[eliza61]

I always preferred the "brigand/pirate" definition.....followed by a long drop from a short rope.

I don't really have a strong opinion on the close/open Gitmo thing other than an ocassional incredulous look to those on the left who are so concerned how we treat those who want to kill us.......but will just have to agree to disagree....

I just hope the word filters out to our "shooters" to stop taking prisoners from here on in.......it's like an even more politicized CIA will be able to do anything with it anyways.....

The only reason I get concern Mr. Man is because we have been parading that "spreading of democracy" line to justify every questionable thing we do.

I too have no love for these nut cases but we can't spread some thing we don't practice.

So if we are going to say we opposed torture, then that means we don't get to indiscrimately torture people when we feel the need. If we are going to declare a war on terrorism that we can't change the designation just because we all of a sudden don't like the Geneva convention. If we are at war then these people are POW's are should be treated as such.