Colin Powell calls for immediate closure of Guantanamo prison camp

[struggle4progress]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former secretary of state Colin Powell said Sunday he favours immediately closing the notorious Guantanamo Bay military prison and moving its detainees to facilities in the United States.

The prison, which now holds about 380 suspected terrorists, has tarnished the world's perception of the U.S., Powell said.

"If it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo. Not tomorrow, but this afternoon. I'd close it," he said.

"And I would not let any of those people go," he said. "I would simply move them to the United States and put them into our federal legal system. The concern was, well then they'll have access to lawyers . . . So what? Let them. Isn't that what our system is all about?" ~snip~



Read more: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2007/06/10/4249996-ap.html

[xxqqqzme]

1. too bad he willingly destroyed his own credibility w/

that amazing UN performance. He would now be an effective voice speaking out, but alas he chose poorly.

[Fridays Child]

2. If he wants to restore it, he could start by appearing before Congress to tell the truth about...

...the neocons and their plan for global military supremacy.

[liberalnurse]

6. Absolutely.

If he loves this country as much as he claims, and if he is an honorable man...he would start singing the truth! Sing it loud and clear!

Otherwise....he is culpable as the rest!

[libodem]

12. Maybe he will

I used to have respect for him. I thought he seemed genuine and he seemed to care about people who were less fortunate. I believe he was caught up in the web of deceit. I also think they swear these folks to secrecy as a matter of classified, National Security, Intelligence. He could go to the slammer, if he leaked classified, top secret, Cheney, foibles, around the Cocktail Circuit. I was just watching some back issues of Frontline, today. It was so obvious all the intelligence for the war was cooked. They had about 4 flimsy reasons for going to war. All of them transparent. Scooter Libby, wrote Powell's speech, to the UN. Does it get any more blatant than that. The, OVP's, soul and separate function was to fix intelligence to go to war. Not to do any of the business of government. Only to represent corporate interests and the Windfall War Profiteering Prospects. They ought to be sued right along with Dick Cheney, War Criminal. He thinks he'll never be called into question. Because he believes he is above the law. That He is KING. That Money and Position makes him Royalty. That's how they do it in Saudi. Is part of the bargain ol' Dick traded off to Bandar? (because they hate us for our lifestyles), Well, Dick has taken viability away from the middle class by making the already Wealthy an unattainable Superclass. We will live like slaves with worthless dollars and Trillions in National Debt.

[catgirl]

21. And what's the rush all of a sudden?

It just dawned on him now? Unless he has something to say that will
actually change things, then he should go back in seclusion. It's disgusting
how the media is fawning all over him. Cafferty just said on CNN that americans
still love and respect him evn after the Iraq mistakes. Well, I'm not one of those
americans. He has blood on his hands, lots of it.

[Joe Bacon]

3. Yawn

Wake me when this old fart actually DOES something.

[hatrack]

4. Over 1,500 days late, at least a trillion dollars short

STFU, Colon.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Powell could have resigned on principle

He could have had an influence in preventing the war and the abuses, but he chose the safe path, much as he did when he became part of the My Lai cover up.

[Zandor]

13. He believed the intelligence in the lead up to the war

and still believes it was just erroneous, not deliberately skewered.

His comments aren't as a big a roll over on the war as some might think at first blush.

[jayfish]

14. He Did?

http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/powell-no-wmd.htm

In February 2003, Powell said: "We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction, is determined to make more."

But two years earlier, Powell said just the opposite. The occasion was a press conference on 24 February 2001 during Powell's visit to Cairo, Egypt. Answering a question about the US-led sanctions against Iraq, the Secretary of State said:

We had a good discussion, the Foreign Minister and I and the President and I, had a good discussion about the nature of the sanctions -- the fact that the sanctions exist -- not for the purpose of hurting the Iraqi people, but for the purpose of keeping in check Saddam Hussein's ambitions toward developing weapons of mass destruction. We should constantly be reviewing our policies, constantly be looking at those sanctions to make sure that they are directed toward that purpose. That purpose is every bit as important now as it was ten years ago when we began it. And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq...

Hmmm...

Jay

[Zandor]

16. You're right

I should have said...

*He claimed* that he believed the intelligence in the lead up to the war
and still *claims* it was just erroneous, not deliberately skewered.

My bad.

[jayfish]

18. No Problem'o

I was just using your comment as an excuse to post that link again. I wonder why MTPs crack research staff didn't come across this little video for yesterdays interview?

Jay

[KG]

7. he's never had a shred of honor to lose. sucked up to power all his life.

[sellitman]

8. Help us Impeach the decider and his big dick and maybe you can be redeemed.

Maybe.

[undeterred]

9. Colin who?

[UpInArms]

10. Colon Polyps - you know the pimples on one's ass

:hi:

[undeterred]

11. Yeah, I went to the doctor and got that all taken care of

Nothing like a Colonic to get rid of your secretary of state whose lost his soul.

[Magleetis]

15. This from

an expert on tarnishing the worlds perception of the U.S.

[closeupready]

17. Long ago, if he had run for president, I would probably have voted for him. But I have no respect

for him anymore. Ditto the current GOP. No question that he is partially to blame for helping sell this war to us. If that bothers him, it should.

[catgirl]

19. Why is Powell looking for publicity?

I'd love to know his ulterior motives. First this, then chatting with Obama.
I thinkhe's trying to get back into politics. I vote for him to stay home. He's
done enough damage in this lifetime.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. Is it Powell 08?

you never know?

[RamboLiberal]

22. I got the feeling yesterday that if Obama is the nominee

Colin is going to back him. I think he's trying to restore his shredded honor.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

23. somehow I thought that Powell would run soon?

[Matilda]

26. If Powell had had the courage of his convictions back in '03,

he'd probably be the front-runner in '08.

He'd have had a couple of years in the wilderness, but now everybody would be saying "he was right."

[KansDem]

24. Colin is in line for the "Sandra Day O'Connor *WTF?* Award"

...for aiding and abetting a criminal administration while speaking out against it.

Or is it Sandy who's in line for the "Colin Powell 'WTF?' Award"? I'm confused...

[Qutzupalotl]

25. See, all that talking with Obama paid off. nt

:-)