Thread: Powell would close Gitmo 'not tomorrow, but this afternoon'

Powell would close Gitmo 'not tomorrow, but this afternoon'

"Guantanamo has become a major problem for America's perception as it's seen; the way the world perceives America, and if it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo -- not tomorrow but this afternoon -- I'd close it," said Colin Powell on NBC's Meet the Press this morning. "And I would not let any of those people go. I would simply move them to the United States and put them into our federal legal system."

"The concern was, 'Well, then they'll access to lawyers, then they'll have access to writs of habeas corpus.' So what? Let them. Isn't that what our system is all about?" he continued.

Powell said the US justice system "can handle bad people." He told host Tim Russet that he would close Guantanamo and stop using the military commission system. Instead, he would deal with prisoners in more "constitutional terms."

"Essentially we have shaken the belief that the world had in America's justice system by keeping a place like Guantanamo open and creating things like a military commission," he said. "We don't need it, and it's causing us far more damage than any good we get for it."

The following video is from NBC's Meet the Press, broadcast on June 10.

Video of Powell can be found at this link The Raw Story | Powell would close Gitmo 'not tomorrow, but this afternoon'

And we all know that there will be some *coughmigicough* who will come in here and scream about the biased source, but the source (where the video of Powell's comments can be found) does not negate the fact that Powell made these statements and the video has not been altered or enhanced.

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Someone in the inner circle can smell the coffee and has the onions to say so? Amazing! I truly hope that more rats will jump the ship now that CP has shown that decency is more important than political loyalty.

Originally Posted by Vortex

And we all know that there will be some *coughmigicough* who will come in here and scream about the biased source, but the source (where the video of Powell's comments can be found) does not negate the fact that Powell made these statements and the video has not been altered or enhanced.

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I'm sure it was dubbed by evil liberals just like that Pace video! LOL!

Let's see that would be two secs of state and a sec of def:

http://www.politicalhotwire.com/9647...itmo-what.html

What's wrong with all of these "loyal Bushies" these days???

If they understand how bad the policies are and have argued for changing them, it seems like Bush does not put much value in the advice of his advisors.

Oh wait, I forgot Cheney makes the decisions around that place. Hard to say what Bush actually thinks at all. What a tool.

What, close a resort like Gitmo. Fair trials, habeas corpus, no more torture. Man you must be nuckin futs.

Originally Posted by dbelkau

Someone in the inner circle can smell the coffee and has the onions to say so? Amazing! I truly hope that more rats will jump the ship now that CP has shown that decency is more important than political loyalty.

Do not forget Condi and Gates. They want it closed too.

Originally Posted by Distressed American

Do not forget Condi and Gates. They want it closed too.

Very true! It may soon be that George, Dick, and Gonzo are the only ones willing to go down with the ship. Although I think Viceroy Cheney might be smart enough to put a little distance between himself and W before the end. Then again, maybe not. He really has nothing to lose. It's not as if the old ticker is going to last long enough to begin anymore political quests.

I dunno. Maybe he had a good reason to demur, but I wish Powell had been more of a loose canon in 2003 than the was, instead of going along for the ride. But better late than never, I suppose.

Originally Posted by Davocrat

I dunno. Maybe he had a good reason to demur, but I wish Powell had been more of a loose canon in 2003 than the was, instead of going along for the ride. But better late than never, I suppose.

He totally sold out. It is a real shame. I used to think he was a good and honest man. I'll never be able to respect that man again after the UN Speech. Of course, I'd still like him to write a scathing book on his time in the snakepit known as the Bush White House.

But, respect? Never again.

Powell doctrine still kicks the shit out of Rummy doctrine!

Originally Posted by Davocrat

I dunno. Maybe he had a good reason to demur, but I wish Powell had been more of a loose canon in 2003 than the was, instead of going along for the ride. But better late than never, I suppose.

When people in our gov't don't have the grit it takes to speak out when they're in office & can do something but get out then "tell all", it irks me. Do something, say something while their words will have the greatest impact.
Why should I pay attention to him now?

Originally Posted by Migi e!

When people in our gov't don't have the grit it takes to speak out when they're in office & can do something but get out then "tell all", it irks me. Do something, say something while their words will have the greatest impact.
Why should I pay attention to him now?

Because he's right?