Australia may take Guantanamo detainees.
By on Dec 27th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Australia may take Guantanamo detainees.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s office has said that his country may accept Guantanamo Bay detainees, which could “make it easier for Obama to fulfill his campaign pledge to shut the prison.” Australia joins Germany and Portugal in expressing a willingness to take some of the detainees. Both Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have said that closing the facility will be a priority, while Vice President Cheney continues to insist that the “well run” prison should remain open.
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That’s a good first-step.
Good news.
Next?
December 27th, 2008 at 2:39 pmI agree with Cheney!
Gitmo should remain open with the entire bushco, Wall Street pukes, Insurance (AIG in particular) Execs, all Big 3 CEO’s, O’Liely, Rash Limpballs, and those of similar ilk of your choosing.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:56 pmComment #2:
I forgot to put them all inside and lock the doors.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:57 pmI emailed President Rudd with the testimony by the Military Lawyer who said Hicks was tortured and the evidence showed him innocent. Yes I got a letter back from President Rudd. He followed up on my information and said Hicks would be protected by his country and the former President had worked closely with Bush but sealed the information. Medical examines showed Hicks was tortured and drugged while in Gitmo. He is now getting all the help he needs to recover and live a fruitful life after his ordeal.
Now before people start think the Bush Administration has won these prisoner will have a honest trial in the countries that they are going. If they are guilty they will be treated with humanity not like the US treated them. These men will get Justice and not the fake kind they got in the United States of America. Look for many more horror stories told of what Bush/Cheney/Rummy really did to these people over 8 years. At lease 7 men have been tortured so bad their insane now. Americans will not want to see the pictures of these men before they were taken by the US vs the after pictures. Many prisoners have died in Gitmo and the US also raped/tortured/killed many in the prisons in Iraq. Bush’s legacy has just begain and it’s not pretty he will be listed among the worse along side Hitler, Stalin and Kim Yal.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:03 pmthe United States of TORTURE
December 27th, 2008 at 3:06 pmIt’s actually Prime Minister Rudd, but no matter.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pmVice President Cheney continues to insist that the “well run” prison should remain open.
I’d like to let him make that assessment from the inside…
December 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pmGitmo should remain open with the entire bushco, Wall Street pukes, Insurance (AIG in particular) Execs, all Big 3 CEO’s, O’Liely, Rash Limpballs, and those of similar ilk of your choosing.
December 27th, 2008 at 2:56 pM
me? i’d be satisfied if they all would be required to undergo one ‘demonstration’ waterboarding. Just to ‘walk the talk’…after that, they’d be free to go…
December 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pmWe should keep the prison cells available for Bush, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, Goodling, Gonzales and all the other traitors from this administration.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pmI have a fantasy for January 20, 2009.
Just after Barack is sworn is as the first legally elected President of the United States since 1996, a helicopter lands on the grounds of the capitol. From it leap armed members of a United Nations police force. They take Bush and Cheney in custody on the podium, hand cuff and then chain their legs, and then duck walk them off the podium to the waiting helicopter.
When the criminals are onboard the helicopter whisks them out to Dulles Airport where Chimpy and Cheney are put in middle seats in coach on the daily 5:20 p.m. KLM nonstop to Amsterdam. Early the next morning the criminals are met by more United Nations police who transport Chimpy and Cheney to the Hague where they are placed in 8 x 5 foot cages just like those at Gitmo where Chimpy and Cheney are detained until their war crimes trials can begin.
For added fantasy I propose that they are forced to remain in the 8 x 5 cages for up to 7 years just like the innocent prisoners at Gitmo . Damn, I get goose bumps all over just thinking about this.
December 27th, 2008 at 4:14 pmCurlew, may I join in your fantasy?
December 27th, 2008 at 4:30 pmCats – Any time!
December 27th, 2008 at 5:00 pmCurlew Says:
Cats – Any time!
__________
Heh… you could put up bleachers and sell tickets for that…
December 27th, 2008 at 5:03 pmBlue 387
It’s actually Prime Minister Rudd, but no matter.
Thank you your right I looked at the letter he sent. I even called him President but I guess he understood I’m an American and went with flow. He was very kind in responsing to me.
December 27th, 2008 at 5:12 pmMaybe they’ll reopen the camps in Nauru, where Australia sent war refugees after 9/11. 2,000 miles from anything.
December 27th, 2008 at 6:23 pm“This American Life” had a fascinating story about Nauru and their prison camp.
When the natural resources (phosphate in Nauru) run out, open a prison. Just like in West Virginia.
This is bullshit. Australia and Portugal should tell America to f**k off. Bush’s flunkies got you into this and we’re not here to get you out of this can worms. So go screw yourself. I mean thats what I would say.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:57 pmSo they are closing Guantanamo. Does that mean the torture will stop? Do the detainees have rights?
Why are other countries taking detainees?
December 27th, 2008 at 10:09 pmFirst, Australia has a Prime Minister, not a president. Kevin Rudd was elected Prime Minister more or less a year ago. He was elected very much like Obama was, in so far as, they both cami in using a left-wing discourse in their campaigns. However, since he took office, Kevin Rudd has been a great disapointment! He is as much of a right-wing pundit as John Howard (The imbecil who was in power and involved Australia with USA crimes of agression). Kevin Rudd also showed complete ignorance in International affairs when he recieved the WAR CRIMINALS Negroponte and Gates here in Asutralia, not long ago… I didn’t know what they were discussing because the ignorant population of Australia has little interested in politics or anything beyong their selfish nose. There are very few people informed in this ex penal colony. Speaking of which, I haven’t seeing anything yet anounced on the media regarding this news. This disturbing news…
December 27th, 2008 at 10:24 pm#16
I agree!!!!
December 27th, 2008 at 10:26 pm#10,
My whish list includes Gates, Negroponte, Perle, Powell, Rumsfeld, Rice, Feith, Wolfowitz, and ends up with Dana Perino handcuffed and with her mouth duck taped in a press conference set! Reporters taking pictures!
Please God, for the suffering and destruction these criminals brought to this planet,
December 27th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
What the US does not undrstand is that the world don’t care if the prison closes its dooors or not. What is disgusting is TORTURING INOCENT PEOPLE, TORTURING POW, ENCACERATING POEPLE WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. That is what has damaged the USA’s image, not a prision it self. They can transfere the prisioners anywhere… they still deserve the treatement according to the Geneva Convention.
December 27th, 2008 at 10:37 pmThe World is watching if Obama presidency is going to hold accountable the War Criminals in the current WH and in the Pentagon! If not, Obama can be as elloquent as he wants to be, but forget regaining international respect.
The World can’t wait for Hague trials to begin!
December 27th, 2008 at 10:38 pmI’m anxious to see how this plays out.
Are Australia, Germany, Portugal, et al. promising to keep these folks in lifetime solitary confinement – similar to the Nazi leaders convicted by Nurenberg (but without any outside contact or chance at parole a la Gitmo) – or lifetime confinement but full opportunity to send statements through their lawyers to the public – or treated like someone with a life sentence for other crimes – or the opportunity to have a trial ?
December 27th, 2008 at 11:53 pmRe Curlew’s most excellent fantasy, #10.
Thanks. I enjoyed that thoroughly.
In my version, Obama gets sworn in, declares martial law, and arrests all Republicans. We airlift the cool people out of Utah and herd the Republicans there. They can have their own country, where they can do things the right-wing way.
They would be dead in weeks. The United States could then catch up with the rest of the world. You can call me a dreamer…
On the nature of Bubbles:
December 28th, 2008 at 6:19 amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Ocbt6l5NE
sacopenapa:
It’s interesting that you haven’t seen anything reported regarding this story “in this ex-penal colony”. Julia Gillard’s statement about this matter was covered, nationally, on both SBS and ABC news. As far as your comment that the “ignorant population of Australia has little interested (sic) in politics or anything beyong their selfish nose”, I’d suggest you need to both get out more and choose better media outlets before making such clumsily phrased, ludicrous, statements.
As for PM Rudd being a “huge disappointment”, I’d have to note that the 70% of Australians (in multiple recent polls) who approve of his performance, apparently don’t agree. While I’d prefer Rudd to be more pro-active on climate change, GLBT rights, paid maternity leave and other issues, the difference between his government and that of his hideous predecessor Howard, is difficult to overstate. In just one year he’s achieved: Workplace reform, Taxation reform, ratifying Kyoto, withdrawl of combat troops from Iraq, apologising to the Stolen Generation, increased funding to universities, hospitals, Medicare and the recent stimulus package targetting the disadvantaged, pensioners, carers, parents and the disabled. Almost singularly among OECD countries, Australia actually seems well positioned to avoid recession in the global economic crisis. I suppose, given your apparent contempt for your fellow Australians, it’s unsurprising that you regard this remarkable, progressive, economically shrewd, domestically beneficient legislative record as “disappointing”. But I’m gratified to note you share your categorical disapproval of Rudd with the most ill-informed, least significant fringes of the Australian politic.
That said, while I applaud your enthusiasm for war crime prosecution of Bush, Blair and Howard administration figures and their culpable legal counsel, I share with Geoffry Robertson QC, of the International Court, a pragmatically slender optimism about that entirely desirable eventuality.
December 28th, 2008 at 9:08 amMapleStreet
Australia is potentially willing to accept released prisoners, against whom, like the vast majority of remaining Guantanamo detainees, no credible evidence exists regarding their criminality. They would be admitted as political asylum seekers due to the probablility they’d be tortured, killed or persecuted in their homeland. They wouldn’t be imprisoned, or subjected to futher trial or penalty. They would of course be free to seek legal exoneration and compensation for their lengthy, illegal, torturous detention at Guantanamo.
Your post seems to assume that the detainees at Guantanamo have either been charged, or found guilty, of some legal offense. That’s emphatically not the case. The Justice Department, Pentagon, White House and Supreme Court have all acknowledged that the majority of Guantanamo detainees, despite their lengthy incarceration and attendant abuse, have no case whatsoever to answer. As such, none of the 4 possibilities you envisage – lifetime solitary confinement, lifetime confinement with media/legal access, standard life sentence or trial, are remotely applicable.
If there are any further legal proceedings regarding these detainees it won’t be to adjudicate their flimsily alleged criminality. Rather, it will be their captors, interrogators and the administration officials who sanctioned their illegal detention and treatment, who are the defendants on trial.
December 28th, 2008 at 10:08 am26. OzDan,
I hope that you are right. But if they are such “dangerous people” to justify their detention at Gitmo, how can they walk the streets free. Likewise, even if “normal” and “innocent” when they entered Gitmo, what are they like now ?
I am hesitant to believe that the Bush WH would allow these folks to talk to the press now. Likewise, considering what the USA has done to them, I wonder how likely the Bush cabal is to allow the chance that they may try to seek redress for the harm done to them (much less damages).
Because of this, even with the changes in the administration coming up in less than a month, I wonder what the conditions of transfer will be – after all, the mafia has to CYA.
That is why I don’t include a “free” option, even though I fully agree that the vast majority of Gitmo hasn’t been charged, but rather held without Habeus, often on the flimsy word of personal enemies wanting to collect a Bounty.
December 28th, 2008 at 4:24 pm