Comments on: Obama And The Deadline For Closing Guantánamo: It’s Worse Than You Think

By: “Model Prisoner” at Guantánamo, Tortured in the “Dark Prison,” Loses Habeas Corpus Petition « freedetainees.org

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:22:02 +0000

[...] (July 2009), Obama’s Failure To Deliver Justice To The Last Tajik In Guantánamo (July 2009), Obama And The Deadline For Closing Guantánamo: It’s Worse Than You Think (July 2009), How Judge Huvelle Humiliated The Government In Guantánamo Case (Mohamed Jawad, July [...]

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:12:33 +0000

Nice link above. Check out Jon Custer’s site. Very dry observations.

By: Moon (Base) Disaster! « In Event of Moon Disaster

Moon (Base) Disaster! « In Event of Moon Disaster — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:23:38 +0000

[...] gravy. Why did I even vote for this guy? (Oh, right). Published [...]

By: Guantánamo And The Courts (Part Two): Obama’s Shame by Andy Worthington « Dandelion Salad

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:51:16 +0000

[...] was that the Obama administration’s focus was not on the courts, but on the inter-departmental Detention Policy Task Force established to review the prisoners’ cases as part of the Executive Orders issued on Obama’s [...]

By: Guantánamo As Hotel California: You Can Check Out Any Time You Like, But You Can Never Leave « Dandelion Salad

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:54:05 +0000

[...] than 50” other prisoners for release, after their cases were reviewed by the inter-departmental Detention Policy Task Force (established by Executive Order on Obama’s second day in office), which, as ABC News explained, [...]

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:20:42 +0000

Hi TD,
Thanks for raising the issue of the CMUs, which I just haven’t had time to go into, although it’s a very important story.
As for whether the Guantanamo prisoners will end up there, I’m still hoping that somehow the administration will find a way to free two-thirds of them by the deadline so that only the so-called “hardcore” — those who will face trials — will end up transferred to prisons on the US mainland, but I’m prepared to admit that this might involve some wishful thinking …

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:15:55 +0000

Hi Will,
There could be a bit of political maneuvering going on with regard to the Guantanamo prisoners, in that Obama doesn’t want to play into Republican hands by openly revealing the extent of the Bush administration’s detainee folly. I think there’s something in that, but it’s stretching things for me to make it the whole explanation.
As for the bigger picture, I think you’re probably right about too many vested interests and power. It’s why we only ever get tiny changes of any value, when what we need is something much more sweeping …

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:09:24 +0000

Jason,
Thanks for the comment. I’m not sure I’d put the figure as high as 99 percent, but then again, the only real way to find out is to pursue the habeas cases — or put the prisoners on trial in federal courts. It’s the Justice Department’s delay and obstruction in the habeas litigation that bugs me in particular.

By: the talking dog

the talking dog — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:39:45 +0000

Peter Honigsberg (”Our Nation Unhinged”) writes that special administrative measures (”SAMs”) against John Lindh were relaxed in March of this year. http://www.cubaniguana.net/Updates.html HOWEVER…

According to Amy Goodman, so-called Communications Management Units of CMUs http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/25/exclusive_animal_rights_activist_jailed_at
were also used to house everyone’s favorite kind of domestic terrorists, animal rights activists, as well as, of course… Muslims http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/17/little_guantanamo_secretive_cmu_prisons_designed

The ACLU is suing over the practice: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/18/aclu-sues-over-secretly-c_n_217688.html

The fact is that the national security state is already here, all these things tell us are some of the names it is using for its specific apparati.

Notwithstanding all the extremely unpromising things that have transpired in the first six months, the Obama Administration may well step things up if for no other reason just so that the President can’t be called a liar, and at least clear GTMO itself out (or, if nothing else, move it, say, to one of the Communications Management Units, which readers should be aware are still more liberal than GTMO itself in terms of what they restrict and allow of inmates).

By: Obama And The Deadline For Closing Guantánamo: It’s Worse Than You Think « Dr Nasir Khan

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:12:40 +0000

[...] Andy Worthington, July 29, 2009 [...]