Hi Bob,
I stand corrected, as that sentence should have read that the “policy of subjecting prisoners to arbitrary detention as ‘enemy combatants’ has been a wretched failure in terms of adherence to the laws on which the Untied States was founded.”

But you’re absolutely right about its intended effect, and how the new boys’ broom is not sufficiently sturdy …

Dear Andy,

I often read your articles on CounterPunch and find them always informative.

Perhaps, though, you might reconsider your statement that the “policy of subjecting prisoners to arbitrary detention as ‘enemy combatants’ has been a wretched failure”.

I believe that it HAS been successful a part of a strategy of terrorizing both US opponents overseas and the American public. Clearly, Cheney wanted to create a worldwide climate of fear, and to show that the US military can do whatever it wants, where ever and whenever it wants, regardless of US or international law.

Even worse, Obama and Gates have continued this policy, regardless of their statements to the contrary.

best regards,
Bob M.
Berkeley, Calif.

Word up.

Thanks Mr. Worthington for your brave and long quest into informing us about the great injustice perpetrated in Guantanamo. If only the good people of the US would understand how this is such a stain that will not go away until it is resolve. Since 9/11 the US have been manipulated to fear and panic by the media and some unscrupulous politicians.

In January a poll showed that a big majority of Americans wanted Guantanamo closed. It took the Cheney tour, Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Fox News and all the politicians that use fear to gain political point to twist the truth to reverse the opinion of the US citizens. Now a recent poll shows two third of the US does not want Guantanamo closed. How can this happen in such a short while? It must be very depressing for all the people who are fighting for the US to return to the democracy it claimed to be and the rule of law and respect the treaty they signed.

Mr. Worthington you are a hero for democracy, I wish you would have a bigger platform.

Funny, that.

To be sure, Bush always asserted that what he did was legal (and had memos written by Addington and signed by Yoo telling him so). But Obama, the supposed “conciliatory figure,” proposing that “we will honor the rule of law” and that the President doesn’t have “unitary executive” dictatorial powers, asserts that such powers can be conferred by an act of Congress. I understand the imperatives of political expediency, in particular in the defense/security area where Obama is unquestionably out of his depth, and he is likely facing a rogue military and intel apparatus (perhaps he should have thought about replacing his predecessor’s SecDef… just saying.) Still and all, those of us who supported him did so for CHANGE in this one area most of all. And we’re getting anything but.

Instead, what we’re getting is so much more handsome, but no less totalitarian.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I admire your tireless efforts in calling for the just treatment of these detainees. Your blog posts, even though Huff Post rarely posts them on the Home page, give a voice to those whose voices can”t be heard, and for this I want to say THANK YOU. These are human beings and they are being treated like dogs, even dogs deserve better treatment than this. I believe Obama is worse than Bush in some ways, he”s trying to make the illegal things that Bush did now legal, like preventively detaining people for as long as he wants.