On Guantanamo, The GOP Attacks Hard Working Americans

In an act of desperation, the GOP has settled on attacking President Obama and the Democrats for closing Guantanamo because none of their other political tactics have worked. It's clear that they want to be the party of national security, but both polls and electoral reality (2006 and 2008, not to mention the recent special election in NY-20 where a last minute Republican fear-based ad attacking Democrat Scott Murphy featuring ominous music and the faces of the 9/11 hijackers failed to make a difference in a race the GOP eventually lost) continue to refute this perception. So while Democrats and the President continue to try and make America safe, the GOP flails with failed ideas and stale talking points on the one issue they think , wrongly of course, they have the higher ground on.

And in the process, Republicans in Congress disparage the men, women and military officers who protect Americans from the dangerous terrorists who already reside in prison facilities across the country and argue that they simply can't continue to do their jobs and keep America safe.

After failing for 8 years to actually keep the world safe from terrorism, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and especially Dick Cheney, are embarking on a renewed push to rehabilitate their failed reputations and political prospects. In going on the offensive on Guantanamo and torture, though, they not only expose themselves to the American people who see through these transparent attacks, but also to the reality that America has successfully held dangerous terrorists within our own criminal justice system for decades now, some of whom executed attacks on American soil. They are: Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, who was incarcerated for a time in the nation's largest city, New York, and now resides in it's most secure prison, the Supermax facility in Florence, CO where according to a former warden he has never left his cell; also at Supermax, Zacharias Moussaoui, convicted of conspiring to kill Americans for his role in the 9/11 attacks; the 6 perpetrators of the East African embassy bombings are also there, as is the shoe bomber Richard Reid. All these dangerous men have been kept in secure facilities for years now with none of these terrorists being released into our "backyards" as the GOP would like us to think. So how would the transfer of Guantanamo detainees be any different?

What the Republican attacks fail to acknowledge is that the men, women and military officers who run these facilities not only admirably and successfully keep their communities safe, but keep all Americans safe by each day diligently doing their jobs. Does the GOP think that they can't continue to do their jobs should detainees from Guantanamo be transferred to facilities within the United States? Doesn't the widespread fear the GOP wants to incite disparage these hard working Americans and the communities in which they reside, where the prisons themselves often serve as the economic lifeblood, especially in such tough economic times? And it's not just Supermax, but also Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas and the Naval Brig at Charleston where Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, the only person to be held as an enemy combatant in the continental United States, spent six years. Across the country, thousands of Americans and members of our Armed Forces work each day in these prisons, and do their jobs well. Maybe Republicans who want to criticize the possibility of bringing detainees within American shores should first understand how good the hard working Americans who are employed at these facilities are at their jobs before they say they can't successfully do their jobs and keep Americans safe.

The bottom line is at a time where Americans are legitimately already afraid of losing their jobs, their homes and the livelihoods they've worked hard to build, the GOP thinks they can score political points by also making us afraid of losing our lives. In the process they also disparage the very men and women who work every day to protect those very lives.

This doesn't seem like a winning strategy to me.

Comments

[chaserblue]

You'd think Cheney, being a major shareholder in The Vanguard Group which houses prisoners all over the country would know better than to attack the very life-draining blood which he sucks off of Americans every day. I mean, he makes millions off of warehousing citizens for BS crimes but he doesn't have any faith in the prison system? Should tell you what kind of soul eating vampire he is.

[BobLablah]

The Vanguard Group is a stock and bond mutual fund owned by it's shareholders. Yikes.

[JanP]

Why aren't you questioning the decision to close GITMO without knowing in advance what you are going to do with the terrorists, the disaster cuasing men and the poor schlubs cuaght on the batlefield?

No matter where they get placed, the anti-Gitmo group wil be against. For some reason they seeem to want these people given freedom, welfare checks and open entre to America society.

[gabemill]

Holding prisoners without charges is against American law and against the statutes of the civilized world. No one is promoting the nonsense that you suggest. Incidentally, I would urge you to discover the wonders of spell check, if you'd like to be taken seriously....

[jsainio]

Remember when they closed Alcatraz, released all the prisoners, and turned it into a tourist trap? San Fransiscans were terrified. What's that, you say? They just put the prisoners in another prison? That's just not possible. Those prisoners were so dangerous, only the treacherous waters of the Bay could keep me safe.

What's that you say? That Marion prison, where many of "The Rock" prisoners wound up, kept them quite effectively? I'm sorry, I'll just stick to my little Republican fantasy. Reality isn't fun enough.

[LewisT]

I think the US should just open the back gate at GITMO and push all of the detainees out the gate into Cuba. They'll behave themselves there or get a quick trip to the sports stadium after which they'll get to meet Allah and all those virgins. All of their lefty lawyers can go to Havana to talk to them. Problem solved! Next problem.

It is unfortunate that we can't recover any of the money we spent on them for feeding them for years, fixing their medical and dental problems and teaching them personal hygiene.

Let's all just worry about those poor misunderstood terrorists instead of their victims.

[breezi]

The biggest terrorists are those who just left office, after destroying the Constitution, trampling our legal rights with Homeland "Security", more than likely being complicit in 9/11, ignoring disasters at home while wreaking destruction on other countries, torturing people to try and make them justify an unjustifiable war, failing to secure our borders, while making a big deal about a giant wall, failing to fund "No Child...", lying to the Congress and to the public on a daily basis, and fearmongering in order to hold power. I know I'm not supposed to say "Hitler", but that's what comes to mind. Oh, and I forgot looting the Treasury on the way out the door. It's way, way past time for investigations and prosecutions of Bush/Cheney and the whold rotten bunch.

[dragonlady620]

Amen to that-and I agree with the "Hitler" comparison. It has come to my mind more than once over the last eight years.

[samra]

Right on breezi & dragonlady! It is indeed scary what Cheney & al. in connection with his former contacts in the US Naval Intelligence Management and Mosaad, will do, to save themselves from prosecution and contempt of the American public! Perhaps blow old stolen Russian nuclear charge over Texas or Israel to blame Iran and incite a nuclear attack on Iran and a new "witchhunt" incl. reversal of the taken decision to close that awful Quantanamo ? Not many know that the attack on Poland and the commencement of WW2 was "reasoned" by an evil action compiled by certain Heydrich, the secret pivot of Nazi regime; the German radio station in Gleiwitz / Glivica on the border with Poland was "attacked" by "Polish army", well, Heydrich's SS men. A few of the "dead bodies", courtesy of Dachau concentration camp in German and Polish uniforms were left on the site. Brits and French could not say anything while Hitler rumbled about the "last Polish provocation" which will not go "un-answered"! Hope that Obama's NSA is keeping tab on Cheney!

[Chip W]

The day Obama announced the closing of Guantanamo, a friend said "I don't want those people running around."
That's fear-over-­rationalit­y.
I guess that's been around for awhile now - Bush/Cheney sold out-of-proportion fear - but these days it's the only thing coming out of the Noisy Right (Limbaugh, Beck, Michelle Bachman, Tea Parties).
Fear and irrationality is a disconcerting combination.

[dragonlady620]

I'm a lot more concerned about having Bush/Cheney/Rove running around. Those guys are REALLY dangerous.

[samra]

Quantanamo is shenanigan insinuating the rightness of the torturers and corrupted politicians. Yes, it enhances the FEAR, the supreme tool of political elite to control population. Inmates? 17year lad, former driver? of (late) Osama, neighbors sold for a few silvers to the US hunters? And enemy combatants? What Afganys were to do when imperial US troopers attacked their country? What Americans would do if attacked, let's say by Mexico. Well, what did Texans do when that happened, but I do not know that Ana would round them and held them indefinitely like enemy combatants. I do not remember Patton' nor Mac Arthur's staffers roaming Europe or Philippines with packets of cigarettes and $10.- to find who fought against our troops, to lock them up as "enemy combatants". Do you remember French police captain words: ".. round the usual suspects" after Bogart shot a German agent in immortal Casablanca?
When in Gilgit agency and Afganistan many years ago, experts predicted my life span to less than 24hours. My kindness & understanding of locals was repayed back to me numerous times. When elders were thanking for the US material help (and manpower coming courtesy of Osama and CIA) ti help them against Soviet troops, they' ve joked if US doesn't want to switch chairs with Soviets - we would have to fight you then! Well send me your worst, they can help around house in the business and perhaps see America they don't know.

[Citizen4honor]

I am surprised by the ignorance regarding these prisoners.

I live in KS near Leavenworth - it doesn't have the facilities to handle terrorists. It's run in a military fashion. Prisoners have to respond to military commands. These are not US soldiers.

Also, Leavenworth is close to a major airport, major city and 4 major Universities plus biological weapon sites. It's not a good choice for terror subjects.

2nd we don't have terrorist attorneys in this country. We don't have terrorist law precedence for a trial.

Their own countries don't want these people.

No one in USA has come up with a plan for them.

If you want them in your backyard - hey make a play for it. I know I don't want them in my backyard, near my airport or my chidren's colleges.

[idest]

Talk about ignorance, you didn't even read the article.

Thanks for disparaging the hard-working men and women at Leavenworth. I for one believe they can handle terrorist prisoners because I believe they are that good at their jobs and take them that seriously. I guess you disagree.

And, in fact, we do have terrorist law precedence for a trial. Ramzi Yousef??? Try reading the article before commenting.

[NeldaDee]

Let's get this straight...

Terrorists are criminals.

You will never see a terrorist (convicted or otherwise) in your backyard, airport or at your children's colleges. Really. You won't. Ever.

Just because something sounds scary doesn't mean it is. Your chances of dying in a car accident are about a million times greater than being attacked by a terrorist. Going anywhere in a car this week? Heck. Your chances of slipping in the shower and dying from cracking your own head open is a greater possibility. By a mile.

You have bought into the GOP propaganda that this article highlights.

I would have liked to see this article go one step further and show just how people like you are continuing to allow the terrorists (even the locked-up ones) to terrorize you. They are winning more and more each day when you allow your irrational fears to take over, and you fear for your life or your children's lives because terrible criminals are locked up in a facility on our soil.

If you re-read this article, please pay close attention to the mention of several "extremely dangerous" criminals who are already locked up in our prisons, military or otherwise.

Ooooooh... Charles Manson may be coming for you as we speak...

[Poolorie]

Its obvious you didn't read the article. Living in Bklyn, NY, I forgot that we had terrorists right across the brooklyn bridge in the federal prison in Manhattan. People in NY aren't living in fear. You shouldn't either. There are all types of people out of prison living in our communities, right next door to you.
You have a greater chance of them doing something to you.
You choose to live in fear. Do yourself a favor and leave the fear at home.

[JoBangles]

Right now the GOP is looking for any issue that might give them some sort of wedge to keep Obama and the Democrats from burying them in the torture investigations. But, to me that issue alone is not enough. America needs an independent investigation into the run up to war, and an investigation into 9/11. There are just too many unanswered questions regarding all of these important issues.

[smiz]

The libs can't understand what is happening...they still blame it on the repubs. .The repubs do not play the 'Blame game", they let the MSM admit the failures of the libs, in their convuoluted ways...

[dragonlady620]

Repubs don't play the "Blame Game"? That's a crock. They have done nothing else for years. Karl Rove's political strategy is centered around Blaming the Democrats for every problem, including those he manufactured to demonize them. And the MSM is OWNED by conservatives:
www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Echo_chamber
Read about how Republicans have been manipulating the media-and public opinion-since the Nixon days.
YOU obviously don'tunderstand what is happening.

[breezi]

Smiz, what the **** was that "convoluted" drivel? Members of the Republican Party are trying to hold Obama and the AG hostage on important legislation to prevent an investigation into the criminal administration of Bush/Cheney. Isn't that obstruction of justice? They're sponsoring, but not sponsoring (according to them) the "tea party" mania and today's "Call to Arms" to hit the hot buttons of an uninformed or misinformed electorate. This is very close to inciting violence, especially the "call to arms". Doesn't that mean "get out your guns"? They're running around trying to mitigate the damage to their party done by Bush and Cheney (including Cheney, not so much Bush), but the problem is, most of them allowed all the illegal acts to take place without so much as a "hey, wait a minute." The Republican party has zero credibility, and some of them have figured it outl. We can't let up or be disuaded from calling for investigations and prosecutions of the previous occupants of 1600. Oh, and your statement that "...the repubs do not play the "Blame game" is so ludicrous it's moot.

[liberalOrgonian]

Failed reputation, got that right.
The repub have made a mess of the last 8 years, bankrupted America, started wars, and set the economics upside down.
I am tired of hearing the repub use fear to justify their actions that have no justification.
The lawlessness of it all is astounding.
Are the military prisons so bad on American soil we are not safe?
If so, why?
More fear crap, and cover thy butte.
This behavior will make the repub party obsolete.

[clearsense]

You are right, the republicans under Bush did make a mess, but Bush is gone. Maybe the Conservatives will come back to the GOP, Bush was such an appeaser. The terrorist were kept on foreign soil because the gov't had never dealt with non-regular military/combatant types. They were playing it cautiously and didn't bring the terrorist/combatant onto American soil to avoid breaking the law. While I do not agree with a lot of what the Bush administration did, I am very concerned with the arrogant attitude, the deception and manipulations of the current administration. They promise one thing and do another. They sign a contract, and change it, and you better adjust or you will be dealt with. Welcome to the US under Emperor Obama,

[ProgressiveVoice]

To what contracts are you referring? What deceptions and manipulations? If these things concern you, have you done any independent research about the accusations you've heard?

The Bush Administration used the Guantanamo facility because under the Bush Administration, the Constitution's power was limited by national borders. It didn't apply to any US Government actions outside of the country.

[dragonlady620]

You are ignoring the overwhelming evidence that Bush/Cheny/Rove were not in the least concerned about "breaking the law". They did it on a regular basis. Your comments about "Emperor Obama" are ludicrous-­especially eight years of Bush's dictator-style of government.

[Poolorie]

Emperor Obama? The man has been in office what, 3 months? No other president has had to deal with this much right away. Let's see, hmm

1. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan- He met them there. Created by Bush
2. Economy sucks; decimated by Repubs and Bush. He met the mess there. has to fix it
3. Constitution run over and ignored by Bush. Again, he met the mess and has to fix it.
4. Created Guantanamo prison.
Hmmm. All four things have a familiar ring to it. I wonder what it is?

[danielet]

My God! Have all Americans reached that age of old scheming backstabbing chickenhawks like Cheney who lie free of shame and care not a fig for morals? Are we all slithering geriatrics on pacemakers who fear that our evil ways will visit us now when we least can withstand them? When Cong. Wolf slandered the hapless Uygur Gitmo victims-- cleared by the military and the courts-- with inuendos, he spat at the Jewish Ethic of the Talmud and its tradition of justice that persevered through centuries of persecution. Do these neocons seek exclusive alliance with Southern racism? Does Cong. Wolf not realize that what goes around comes around? As for the other Republicans, what can I say, I was a life-long one of them until I saw that the muck floats to the top. Cheney and McConnell I can understand, they are rooted in a corrupt Red Neck traditon of Robber Barons. But Bohner seems to have forgotten how the "Potatoe Famine" Irish were exploited and slandered so they could be exploited. Offer every Gitmo victim $2 million each and allow them to stay in the US if they accept surveillance. We have a lot to straigthen out before facing our Maker so that future generation will not cures us as we do 19th Century Robber Barons.

[mmfleming]

The sub-text is not that the prisons aren't well guarded but that liberal judges will somehow contrive to refuse to imprison the innocent and will set the guilty free. It is all connected with the idea that "the rule of law," a primary Republican talking point in the 1990's, is insufficient to deal with the Guantanomo "detainees." And apparently doesn't apply to anyone whatsover associated with this entire sordid mess.

[buzzjane]

Well, I am surprised that anyone else is surprised at this. It is completely in keeping with their narrow-minded philosophies and to hint at eugenics, well, echoes of the 3rd Reich?!! With the pathetic people they supposedly want representing them, like Limbaugh, I think it will only get worse!

[Can-Man]

Hey, forget the party of Profiles in Cowardice. If those guys cared at all about Terrorists, they would stop fighting to make it easy for Terrorists to arm themselves with automatic rifles, etc. And also remember, the NRA, the Republicans' pals, who bragged about working out of the Oval Office during President Bush's rein is the same group that fought for the right of anyone to buy a cop killer bullet. Fortunately they lost that one.