Posted on 05/15/2009 12:08:23 PM PDT by Schnucki
President Barack Obama faced condemnation today as he announced he was restarting military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, reviving the system he once labelled "an enormous failure".
The trial process, set up by his predecessor George W. Bush for fighters captured on the battlefields of Afghanistan in late 2001, was attacked by human rights organisations because it barred defendants from many of the rights they would have in a civilian courtroom.
But Mr Obama said in a statement, the tribunals would resume with modifications to make them fairer.
"Military commissions have a long tradition in the United States. They are appropriate for trying enemies who violate the laws of war, provided that they are properly structured and administered," he said.
"This is the best way to protect our country, while upholding our deeply held values."
It was the latest decision by Mr Obama to bitterly disappoint his anti-war supporters on the left. Earlier this week, he announced he would fight the release of up to 2,000 photographs of alleged abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan – after previously saying they would be published.
Mr Obama said there would be several changes to the tribunal system, which would affect a small number of detainees, including restrictions on hearsay evidence, a ban on evidence obtained through alleged torture and greater scope for detainees to choose their own military counsels.
But these relatively minor alterations were in stark contrast to Mr Obama's outspoken criticism of a "flawed" system during his election campaign.
In February 2008, Mr Obama described the Guantanamo trials as "a flawed military commission system that has failed to convict anyone of a terrorist act since the 9/11 attacks and that has been embroiled in legal challenges".
The military commissions will remain on hold for another four months as Mr Obama
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Obama, thereby, admits that his campaign promises can not be kept, for reasons of national security.
Things must be worse than I thought he’d make them. Already flip-floping back from the edge.....my guess is the dollar is going to be worth about as much as a square of Charmin pretty soon.
The economy has to start recovering before inflation can happen. I don’t see that happening any time soon.
I think you might be on to something:
Maybe if we claim that he’s too conservative we can get rid of him.
LOL. It is too bad we don't have any journalists in the WH press corps. Someone should ask exactly what specific modifications were made. I suspect slim to none and certainly not anything of substance. More smoke and mirrors.
When delusions meet reality—
They say that only a “fool” never changes his mind.
"Military commissions have a long tradition in the United States. They are appropriate for trying enemies who violate the laws of war, provided that they are properly structured and administered," he said.
But, they've been doing it wrong...
Mr Obama said there would be several changes to the tribunal system, which would affect a small number of detainees, including restrictions on hearsay evidence, a ban on evidence obtained through alleged torture and greater scope for detainees to choose their own military counsels.So no the military tribunal is no longer a military tribunal and much evidence against the perps will not be allowed because this is a civilianized court.
But, we see, if only O had come sooner, the military justice system could have been fixed.
Arrogance.
As usual, the Brits publish actual news-related headlines while most of our worthless papers publish DNC press releases.
Didn’t Eric Holder’s law firm represent some of the accused terrorists in US courts? This is not going to be good for the US. Obama is once again voting present. He is just going to have it both ways.
Obama has used liberalism to gain power.
The key word is USED!
He will do what he has to do, in order to grow his power.
The radical left has become an irritation to him, as he does not want another terrorist attack, which will limit Obama to one term.
That is what this is about.
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