Carter Calls on U.S. to Shut Down Gitmo

Drudge report/Yahoo ^ | Tue Jun 7, 5:43 PM ET | By BERNARD McGHEE,

[Issaquahking]

{By BERNARD McGHEE, Associated Press Writer Tue Jun 7, 5:43 PM ET

ATLANTA - Former President Carter on Tuesday called for the United States to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison to demonstrate its commitment to human rights.

ADVERTISEMENT

"The U.S. continues to suffer terrible embarrassment and a blow to our reputation ... because of reports concerning abuses of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo," Carter said after a two-day human rights conference at his Atlanta center.

Such reports have surfaced despite President Bush's "bold reminder that America is determined to promote freedom and democracy around the world," Carter said.

About 540 detainees are being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Some have been there more than three years without being charged with a crime. Most were captured on the battlefields of Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002 and were sent to Guantanamo Bay in hope of extracting useful intelligence about the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Carter said the United States needs to make sure no detainees are held incommunicado and that all are told the charges against them.

Despite his criticism of Guantanamo Bay, Carter said Amnesty International should not have called the prison "the gulag of our time" in a report last month. President Bush has termed the report by the human-rights group "absurd."

Carter said the alleged abuses at Guantanamo Bay could never compare with the forced labor camps operated by the former Soviet Union.

[Steve Van Doorn]

” When Carter was in office why didn’t Russia’s send a hand full of troops and say we want Alaska and the West Coast of the US? I personally think the Russians missed a great opportunity. BECAUSE I'M FROM ALASKA! In addition, Alaska is about as red as a state is allowed to be(minus Anchorage's goofy dem contingency).

They could've had Portland probably...donning flameproof coat now (Portland does have some great Freepers and Republicans, if you know where to go)”

When Clinton was at war with the Serbs, the Russians pulled out of the Airport in Kosovo right after Clinton gave some of Alaskan islands full of oil to the Russians(don't remember the name of the islands right now.) There where even a few residences I think that lived on those islands (less then 100) that lost their American Citizenship when they where turned over to Russia. I don’t remember people in Alaska being ‘that’ upset

[Steve Van Doorn]

oops forgot to format

[TeleStraightShooter]

Home state?
The site of the Andersonville deathCamp is the next town over from Jimmuh's

Might explain his problem with Gitmo.

[Issaquahking]

Islands full of oil? Seems to me there were a couple of islands above Russia that come to mind... it would be like the lamest president America has ever had, for him to give away what is not his to give away.

[stm]

In a related story, Bush Administration recommends shutting down Carter

[bray]

The Russians would never take over Portland since they are far more Conservative and level headed. Who would want this disaster??

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Babu]

Inquiring minds want to know ...

If Jimmy "Killer Wabbit" Carter wuns his mouth in the forest and nobody gives a sh*t, is there weally a sound?

[stm]

We are at war. That makes these people prisoners of war in my book. POW's don't normally get trials. They get incarcerated for the duration of the war to keep them off the battlefield

I think Jimmah's last brain cell is starting to malfunction

[wardaddy]

Wardaddy to Carter:

Get thee to Gitmo Gomer!

[usnret99]

Luckely he never got to drive subs. Uncle Hime Rickover fired him out of the sub navy/Nuclear program. That's why he hates the military.