Posted on 06/07/2005 1:41:51 PM PDT by Blue Turtle
ATLANTA - Former President Jimmy Carter on Tuesday called for the United States to shut down its Guantanamo Bay prison to demonstrate the country's commitment to protecting human rights.
"Despite President George W. Bush's bold reminder that America is determined to promote freedom and democracy around the world, the U.S. continues to suffer terrible embarrassment and a blow to our reputation as a champion of human rights because of reports concerning abuses of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo," Carter said in a news conference following the close of a two-day human rights conference at his Atlanta center.
In addition to closing Guantanamo Bay and two dozen other secret detention facilities, the former president said the United States needs to make sure no detainees are held incommunicado and that they all be told the charges against them.
His other recommendations included that the United States stop transferring detainees to foreign countries where torture has been reported and that an independent commission be created to investigate where terrorism suspects are held in U.S. custody.
Carter also said the United States should reaffirm its commitment to due process and international law, and assure that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners are enforced.
Carter said many countries, including the United States, are using the campaign against terrorism as an excuse to restrict freedoms and silence human rights activists.
"In fact, combating terrorism, defending human rights and ensuring our collective security go hand in hand," Carter said.
The former president also pointed out abuses in other countries, including:
_ In Indonesia, efforts to reform the state intelligence body are being resisted in the name of safeguarding security.
_In conflict zones such as Chechnya and Colombia, crimes against humanity, and the targeting of human rights activists, are justified as counterterrorism.
_Persistent poverty contributes to insecurity and violence in countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan.
A delegation of human rights defenders from around the world will be in Washington on Wednesday to present their testimony to key leaders of the U.S. government.
Despite his criticism of the Guantanamo Bay prison, Carter said Amnesty International should not have called it "the gulag of our time" when the describing the facility in a report last month.
Calling it "an ill-advised term," Carter said the abuses said to take place at Guantanamo Bay could never compare with the Soviet-era gulags, where thousands of people died.
"I think it's unfortunate that their choice of words has become the focal point of the debate," Carter said.
Without Carter there wouldn't be prisoners in Gitmo.
I still blame Jimmy Carter for Disco.
"Carter also said the United States should reaffirm its commitment to due process and international law, and assure that the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners are enforced."
We're already giving the prisoners free korans, prayer rugs, skull caps, prayer five times a day, halal food, and visits with muslim chaplains. What else does he want us to do?
And these people are not prisoners of war; they are saboteurs; and the "rules" of war permit enemy saboteurs,
or men not in uniform, to be summarily dealt with.
FDR had nazi saboteurs executed, and was in accord with International law when he did so.
But we have to give them korans, and heaven forbid we
should accidently insult the koran.
was there ever a bigger loser than Carter?
It's scary to think many people dont remember how bad Carter and the dems had screwed this country up before Reagan can along and fixed it.
The meanest, foul-tempered bunny you ever laid eyes on!
Well Carter is at least consistent. He is wrong 100% of the time.
In response to lies and rumors, Jimmah Carter says turn and run. His handling of the Iranian Hostage situation speaks volumes of his knowledge of such matters.
What's the status of that Nobel recall petition for this twit? (rhetorical question)
"The American Revolution was unnesssary, and illegal, in the context of it's time."
-Carter
Why did I hold out hope that once the deluded Nobel Committee gave this wretch a PRIZE he'd STFU and go away.
:::crickets:::
"...closing Guantanamo Bay and two dozen other secret detention facilities..., the former president said the United States needs to make sure no detainees are held incommunicado and that they all be told the charges against them. His other recommendations included that the United States stop ... transferring detainees to foreign countries where torture has been reported and that an independent commission be created to investigate where terrorism suspects are held in U.S. custody."
That is truly awesome!
The useful idiots who want the US to lose and surrender keep coming out of the woodwork. I'm afraid that this country has been made too PC and lacks the will to win this war despite the efforts of our powerful military. We have too many enemies within.
There are a lot of places in the world where we could construct a camp that no one would know about, no one COULD know about, like on an island in the far South Atlantic or far south Indian Ocean, off the shipping lanes, and with no air service or communication except those in our full control. I hope we hae already done so. By ones and by twos, the residents of Guantanamo could be relocated.
A couuple of places I have in mind, these folks could just be dropped off, no further actual incarceration required.
Carter and his ilk..worry more about the rights and
contentment of other people than our good, hard
working Americans. ? Why don't ese people do
some digging on any subject before they give their
half-a$$ opinion...It is a fact...(tell them)..that
the modus operandi and the instructiuons of al queda..
is..when you are a prisoner..complain..and make
sure you are diusruptive....And Carter, Dems., all buy
this crap and blame..our military, our leaders..
geez..how in the hell does anyone ever vote for
any Democrat ???????????????? Jake
Well.....I see Carter finally checked his FAX machine...
I wonder just how many people have died because of his limp appendage policies?
He always was a day late and a dollar short.....
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