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.
I can think of 3,000 right away.
For once I have to agree with Carter. I see no point to keeping Gitmo open, we've learned all we can from them and most of these guys are Joe Nobodies anyway. Either try 'em and execute 'em, or ship them back to their third world hell holes. There's no point in just keeping these guys perpetual prisoners without trials. We wouldn't like it if somebody did it to us. Gitmo just makes the US look bad in the eyes of the world for no reason, it serves no purpose.
It doesnt even hurt... to disclaim... this guy!
Wings<----is trying to be more charitable... but THISSSSS one... is quite the test of patience.....
Have a great day!
Respectfully...
That does it. If Jimmy Carter wants Guantanamo closed down then it is the best reason to keep it open. It has to be right now no matter what anybody else says.
More infinite wisdom from Jimma aka (the father of modern terrorism) Kahtta
"Peanuts" is off his rocker again & Rosalyn's found the cooking sherry, and Billy's ghost is spitting chaw on the roses. Everything's normal in Plains.
Jimmy Carter can always be counted on by Americas enemies. Way to go Jimmy! How in the heck did you ever make it through the Naval Academy is beyond me?
Carter quotes:
"We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
"Republicans are men of narrow vision, who are afraid of the future."
"Unless both sides win, no agreement can be permanent."
"Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers. This doesn't affect two-thirds of the people of the world."
"We must make it clear that a platform of 'I hate gay men and women' is not a way to become president of the United States."
"The entire Islamic world condemned Iran. Nowadays, because of the unwarranted invasion of Iraq by Bush and Blair, which was a completely unjust adventure based on misleading statements, and the lack of any effort to resolve the Palestinian issue, there is massive Islamic condemnation of the United States."
"I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming." (Not Ted Kennedy, LOL!)
"Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. People have the right to expect that these wants will be provided for by this wisdom."
Is he an idiot or what?????
Uhhh! Mr. Carter. If we close down Guantonomo , what do we do with the prisoners(terrorists) there? Or havent you thought of that yet?
And he was at least likable.
With all due respect, my friend, this is the weakest argument I've heard in awhile. Americans don't plot terrorist attacks on other countries -- our society is healthier than that. And if Americans were plotting terrorist attacks, we'd find those people and lock them up ourselves.
If the Gitmo prisoners go back to their home countries, they'll be released soon to plot new 9/11 attacks on us. That's okay with Jimmy Carter, but it's not okay with most of us.
He certainly can't mess THAT situation up any more than it is.
So give them trials and execute them. I have no problem with that. But just holding them down there seems stupid to me. What's the point? If we think they've actually done something, give them a trial and convict them. Personally I think most of them are just Joe Mohammeds who were picked up "fighting for their country". Just as Joe Americans would be here. Doesn't make them terrorists.
Many, many thousands in Iran alone.
Yea, sure. Ship 'em to Plains, Georgia.
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