Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

5 Ex-Secretaries of State: Close Guantanamo Bay camp, open talks with Iran
ap ^ | March 27, 2008 | Associated Press

Posted on 03/28/2008 2:49:08 AM PDT by Flavius

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Five former U.S. secretaries of state are urging the next presidential administration to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and open a dialogue with Iran. Each says closing the facility in Cuba would bolster America's image abroad. Regarding Iran, they say it's important to maintain contact with adversaries and allies alike.

(Excerpt) Read more at whbf.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2008; albright; baker; bakerhamiliton; christopher; colinpowell; gitmo; iran; iranlobby; isg; jamesbaker; kissinger; powell; stuckonstupid; warrenchristopher
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-55 last
To: GAB-1955
I would close Guantanamo if it’s giving us bad publicity

America couldn't get good publicity if we brought John Lennon and George Harrison back from the dead and footed the bill for a free Beatles reunion concert around the world.

41 posted on 03/28/2008 6:42:26 AM PDT by uncitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

“..... Why is her word good for anything these days?”

because she adamantly opposes the idea that the US is the only “super” power in the world. She has said it and written so.

She supports the EU being made (with US help) into an equal and the rebuilding of Russian power to offset the US.


42 posted on 03/28/2008 6:45:23 AM PDT by elpadre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

She also helped cut the deal to give North Korea fissle material to make a nuclear weapon.


43 posted on 03/28/2008 6:51:27 AM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (The United States Marines. The finest and most feared fighting force in the history of mankind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: shekkian

My thought exactly ... that’s why they are “ex” Secretaries of State.


44 posted on 03/28/2008 7:01:12 AM PDT by Mustng959
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: SkyPilot

Hiss was a traitor, but he wasn’t in the State Department when Joseph McCarthy made his allegations—he had been found guilty in his perjury trial the month before. From the Wikipedia article it appears that he was never employed by the State Department and had left government service several years earlier.


45 posted on 03/28/2008 10:50:36 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Flavius

Colin Powell = P.O.S. in my eyes.


46 posted on 03/28/2008 10:55:15 AM PDT by McGruff (Support Rush's Operation CHAOS - Crush Hillary And Obama Simultaneously)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CutePuppy

Actually, I didn’t remember it. I do appreciate you bringing me back to reality on the subject though. Do these folks even think of the ramifications of their suggestion? It sure doesn’t seem like it.


47 posted on 03/28/2008 12:26:24 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: shove_it

The detainees will be brought to a mainland prison where folks can stand outside and parade up in down on their behalf, advocating they be released on humanitarian grounds.

Baker and the rest of these clowns probably think they should get due process so that methods and contacts can be revealed in court too.


48 posted on 03/28/2008 12:28:25 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: carton253

Evidently not. Color me out of it when it comes to this clown.


49 posted on 03/28/2008 12:33:55 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Thermalseeker

Evidently I’m not doing my due diligence when it comes to Baker. Ouch...


50 posted on 03/28/2008 12:34:48 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: LibLieSlayer

Well, it does sound like I’ve been off in la la land when it comes to Baker.


51 posted on 03/28/2008 12:35:27 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Red in Blue PA

She probably is, but my favorite is her pronouncement that Bill Clinton could never have had a relationship with a 21 year old White House intern.

Anyone who has a cause and seeks to further that cause with her support is a first class idiot.


52 posted on 03/28/2008 12:40:42 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Flavius
.......Each says closing the facility in Cuba would bolster America's image abroad.......

Of courrrrrrrrse it would. (+Sarc) Mmm Hmmm, So now that we've opened it, used it, let's just close it down because we're never going to find another Al-Qaeda Representative, Ever, are we. What type of thinking is this?

It ISN"T as if all the countries of the world are going to FORGET that we had a Prison in Guantanamo Bay. It isn't as if it hasn't done ALOT of good, prevented multiple future crimes against America and Travelling Americans in general, because it has. Anyone who thinks otherwise can choose to keep their blinders on about the threat to our country. Just don't come to my house for food and safety when the next Holocaust occurs, O.K.? Learn to defend yourself and don't think the gov't is going to do it for you. Well, you can think that, but you're 100% dead if you believe you can rely on someone else to save your life. (oops, Rant Off)

53 posted on 03/28/2008 2:57:28 PM PDT by Pagey (Horrible Hillary Clinton is Bad For America, Bad For Business and Bad For MY Stomach!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne
Actually, I didn’t remember it.

Sorry, I made a presumption I really should not have. ISG was also dubbed by the press and popularly and informally known as a "Baker Commission on Iraq". Thankfully, it was DOA.

While his long-time business ties to Saudis don't necessarily bother me (I have friends - many of them Israelis or American Jews - who have done business simultaneously in Israel and several Arab countries), Baker has been particularly and virulently anti-Israel, which ostensibly affected George H.W. Bush administration policies (or lack of such) and coolness and/or indifference toward Israel and - as it was explained to me by people I trust and without agenda - that was one of the big reasons that during that period that large part of American Jewish community (which was drawn to Reagan's fighting for freedom of people behind Iron Curtain and calling "Evil Empire" what it was) drifted apart from the Republicans.

George W. Bush has made very little use of Baker (beyond initial help during Florida recount), Scowcroft and that Bush-41 policy group in his administration and often went against their "informal", "back channel" or leaked through the press advice, even occasionally publicly repudiating them. Both Cheney and Rumsfeld are not fans of Baker / Scowcroft politics or policies. While current SecDef Bob Gates (of Baker group) has been brought in after 2006, it was mainly to be a deft political liaison to hostile new regime on Capitol Hill - he does not seem to affect or is active in policy or strategy much, his role is mainly executive one and he accepted this short-term stint as "resume enhancement".

Do these folks even think of the ramifications of their suggestion?

Well, it doesn't matter to them what ramifications are to US and her people, it's only important what it will mean to them. And in that respect, they can't lose - all 3 presidential candidates expressed desire and willingness to shut down Gitmo - to "improve image", as sorry as that reason is - so they are simply ahead of the curve and are laying the ground to claim future credit for what seems to be a fait accompli.

54 posted on 03/28/2008 9:35:06 PM PDT by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: CutePuppy

Thanks for the background. I appreciate the notes on Baker et al. I do keep my nose to the grindstone pretty well, but there are some issues that slip by. I do remember Baker involved in some commission, the likes of what you mention here, but I didn’t remember the gist of it now.

Like you, I don’t have a problem with doing business with the Saudi per se. I do have a problem with it if it affect policy toward Israel, as in negativly.

I do agree that Guantanamo does seem to be headed toward closure. It will likely cause problems too.

You take care.


55 posted on 03/28/2008 10:27:27 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (New Europe, John Benedict Arnold McCain's bridge to 07/03/1776. Not even our past is safe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-55 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson