Annan Says U.S. Should Close Gitmo Prison - Bolton Moves to Replace Annan

[NNN0LHI]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_GUANTANAMO?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday said the United States should close the prison at Guantanamo Bay for terror suspects as soon as possible, backing a key conclusion of a U.N.-appointed independent panel.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan rejected the call to shut the camp, saying the military treats all detainees humanely and "these are dangerous terrorists that we're talking about."

The panel's report, released Thursday in Geneva, said the United States must close the detention facility "without further delay" because it is effectively a torture camp where prisoners have no access to justice.

Annan told reporters he didn't necessarily agree with everything in the report, but "the basic premise, that we need to be careful to have a balance between effective action against terrorism and individual liberties and civil rights, I think is valid."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_NEXT_SECRETARY_GENERAL?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL

Bolton Launches Talks on Replacing Annan

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.S. ambassador opened Security Council discussions on the next U.N. secretary-general, calling the choice of a replacement for Kofi Annan probably the most important decision the world body will make this year.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, the council's president this month, called a meeting of the five veto-wielding permanent members Thursday "to get a sense of where the council is, so that we can begin to move forward on the issue."

Annan's second five-year term ends on Dec. 31 and his successor must be approved by the General Assembly based on a recommendation from the council.

At the moment, the permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - are divided on when to choose the next U.N. chief and where he or she should come from.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. Replaced with a lapdog is the preference.

Alas, Russia, China, and the rest of the world probably have other ideas. But, Bolton and his bosses will still try to foist someone that won't complain about silly things like torture and lifetime imprisonment without charges or trials.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Bolton Isolatates Himself Further

No one at the U.N. wants to work with this slimeball yet take anything he says serious.

The greatest job secruity Kofi Annan can enjoy these days is the scorn of the booosh regime.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. I really do think it's coincidence this time

Annan has always been going to end his second term at the end of this year, and not run for a third (I'm not even sure if it's allowed - it's certainly never been done before). Discussing his successor won't mean he leaves any earlier.

[bryant69]

5. That's how I read this too

Although I am also quite sure that Bolton is going to push for a lap dog.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. Haven't a lot of these UN chiefs been kinda ...

dusky, lately? From little backward places no one has ever heard of?

It's time that an organization as important as the UN got a good Christian European at the helm. That would straighten things out there, you betcha.

:sarcasm:

(Hated to have to add the :sarcasm: , but if I didn't I just know someone would begin to castigate me -- after all, not everyone's had their coffee yet.)

[bryant69]

9. Italy or poland maybe - but even they aren't as keen on the USA

as they once were.

On the other hand I don't know what you point is - if your point is that the Bush's and Bolten are racist and are going to supoprt a guy so long as he is white, not suer I'd go along with that. I would think their larger goal is to gat a more controllable UN - and that would overide any racist impulses.

Actually their best strategy would be to promote a nincompoop.

Bryant

[LynnTheDem]

4. these are dangerous terrorists that we're talking about." BULLSHIT.

Including THESE INNOCENT men???

Five Chinese Muslims the U.S. military admits were captured by mistake want the U.S. Supreme Court`s help in getting out of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Their capture and detention in the Cuban facility for more than four years has created a legal dilemma for the Bush administration, which fears releasing them back to China where they could face torture, yet refuses to grant them asylum for fear of opening floodgates to others.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/northamerica/article_1097256.php/%60Mistake%60_captives_languish_at_Guantanamo

Including THESE INNOCENT men???

Compiled from declassified Defense Department evaluations of the more than 500 detainees at the Cuba facility, the report says just 8 percent are listed as fighters for a terrorist group, while 30 percent are considered members of a terrorist group and the remaining 60 percent were just "associated with" terrorists.

55 percent of the detainees are informally accused of committing a hostile act. But the descriptions of their actions ranged from a high-ranking Taliban member who tortured and killed Afghan natives to people who possessed rifles, used a guest house or wore olive drab clothing.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060208/ap_on_go_ot/guantanamo_detainees

LIE: "these are dangerous terrorists that we're talking about."

BULLSHIT. LYTING MFers.

America; Home of the Torture Camp.

[Burried News]

6. Let's see - who could be an interesting Nominee? Hehehehe

Joe Wilson

[wtmusic]

8. Dem Majority Moves to Replace Bolton

2007...just around the corner