Friedman: Just Shut It Down (Gitmo is an embarassment)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/27/opinion/27friedman.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

Shut it down. Just shut it down.

I am talking about the war-on-terrorism P.O.W. camp at Guantánamo Bay. Just shut it down and then plow it under. It has become worse than an embarrassment. I am convinced that more Americans are dying and will die if we keep the Gitmo prison open than if we shut it down. So, please, Mr. President, just shut it down.

If you want to appreciate how corrosive Guantánamo has become for America's standing abroad, don't read the Arab press. Don't read the Pakistani press. Don't read the Afghan press. Hop over here to London or go online and just read the British press! See what our closest allies are saying about Gitmo. And when you get done with that, read the Australian press and the Canadian press and the German press.

It is all a variation on the theme of a May 8 article in The Observer of London that begins, "An American soldier has revealed shocking new details of abuse and sexual torture of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay in the first high-profile whistle-blowing account to emerge from inside the top-secret base." Google the words "Guantánamo Bay and Australia" and what comes up is an Australian ABC radio report that begins: "New claims have emerged that prisoners at Guantánamo Bay are being tortured by their American captors, and the claims say that Australians David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib are among the victims."

[still_one]

1. what they should shut down is Abu Ghraib

[rocktivity]

2. I've never really understood why Cuba lets us stay there

since we're such evil decadent westerners and all.

:headbang:
rocknation

[0007]

4. It certainly isn't by choice. If Cuba could kick us out they'd do it

in an nano second. I think it has something to do with the Teddy Roosevelt days. I'm not sure.

[formerrepuke]

3. Gitmo seems to me a waste of money- all drinking water must

be brought in tankers since Cuba doesn't allow fresh water lines into the base, for example. The only apparent reason to maintain the base seems to be to irritate Castro. The defense perimeter is there to protect the base from Cubans- meaning they are protecting the base only.. not protecting the country in which it lies- seems a pointless reason to maintain a military base.

[malmapus]

6. Yup it has to have everything shipped to it

Did a small stint there back in 94 before being sent into Haiti. Only way to get suppliers is by sea / air.

Not sure what purpose it serves than a sore spot for Castro, I didn't get to see the whole base (its split into two sections by the bay) I was stuck on the small strip of land on the western side of it, on the eastern part of the bay could see what looked like beautiful buildings. Side I was on had the strip and a hotel for occifers and of course all the Cuban watch towers in spitting distance.

[splat@14]

8. Conspicuous by its absence on the list of base closings. n/t

[kliljedahl]

9. I that's why a Koran was never "flushed"

They only have pit toilets & buckets in the cells. That's what Bushco is denying that it was "flushed". Now if it were thrown in a bucket of excrement, AKA "toilet", that'd be a different story.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[orwell]

5. Orwell: Just Shut Him Down

(Friedman is an embarassment)

[teryang]

7. Friedman who hates Islam now tries to cover his ass

he was one of the biggest proponents of the so called "war on terror" and exponent of hatred for those of the Islamic culture.

Now the drum beater sees the handwriting on the wall and tries unsuccessfully to dissociate himself from the campaign of hatred, torture and propaganda when he was one of its biggest exponents.

Sorry, I couldn't help from commenting. I promised myself to put Friedman posts on ignore.

[democracyindanger]

10. Friedman's Column: Just shut it down.

Just take away his keys to the NYT office. Don't let him near a word processor or writing utencil again. He's a hack of the highest order, a buffoon and a milquetoast.

[struggle4progress]

11. To shut it down, we'd have to let all the innocent prisoners go home.

And that would require admiting that the Administration had made some mistakes: but that's something they just will not do.

[bemildred]

12. Friedman: Just shut the fuck up.

You have done enough Tom, go away now.