Comments on: Obama planning quick move to close Gitmo

By: THE OLD TIMER

THE OLD TIMER — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:38:40 +0000

I wish the elected one in the whitehouse would read the blogs that his name is mentioned in. He would find out how much the american people don,t trust this guy something I,ve been saying since day one. He can not be trusted. he put forth some big plans which he will never be able to keep but he has got the American public so brain washed that they can not see through the smoke screen He is just hot air and no experence what so ever.

By: Rick Sutter

Rick Sutter — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:37:16 +0000

To "The Old Timer". The Lefties don't believe they are terrorists. They believe they are simply the oppressed poor trying to make a statement about their poor treatment by the evil, excessively wealthy, West. Therefore, there is nothing to fear from these poor, misunderstood citizens of the One World.

By: Rick Sutter

Rick Sutter — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:34:59 +0000

We should just open the gates and let Castro deal with them. After all, isn't he the hero of the Hollywood elite and the Libs? Surely he will give them all a fair trial. Go Fidel!

By: THE OLD TIMER

THE OLD TIMER — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:28:09 +0000

what will happen to the terrorists

By: Where are you going to put the detainees????

Where are you going to put the detainees???? — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:20:02 +0000

Nobody wants them Mr. Obama, so what are you going to do with them? Put them in the Blue Room???

By: Former Republican

Former Republican — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:06:04 +0000

IT IS HARD TO COMPREHEND THAT ONE OF OUR OWN

PRESIDENTS HAS INVOLVED US IN TORTURE. IT IS SO

SHAMEFUL THAT THIS WHOLE NATION JUST SAT ON

THE SIDELINE & LET HIM DO WHAT WE AS A NATION

HAVE ALWAYS CONDEMNED OTHERS FOR DOING.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY DISTURBING & REVOLTING.

By: J.P.

J.P. — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:49:42 +0000

Yippee! Terrorists coming to a street near you!

This certainly is change, but I'd be hard pressed to say it's positive change.

By: Mike in NC

Mike in NC — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:43:49 +0000

@Matt Matt, would you suggest that we have a "CSI" team with every Army or Marine ground unit? You know so they can collect this evidence you speak of? Then we can have the soldiers read each person they capture their "rights"? You have NO CONCEPT of what war is like do you? My friend, you need an education. Why don't you get off of cnn.com and go read up on the US Constitution and the Geneva Convention. Then you can come back here and know what you are talking about?

By: bj, texas

bj, texas — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:36:36 +0000

Stupid Pres Select. He is not my president. The media and acorn appointed him. Instead of a cat he should adopt all the Gitmo prisoners since he seems to care so more for them.

By: yet another Bush black eye to fix

yet another Bush black eye to fix — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:36:31 +0000

just like we need to get our service men out of that debacle in Iraq and home to a hero's welcome and their families

we need to close Gitmo

what was Bush thinking, what a turd

By: Ken in NC

Ken in NC — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:35:34 +0000

@MARK
Mark, I have seen several of your very negative comments here and concluded that you could be the poster child for abortions. Your mind is so warped it is shameful.

The elections are over and Obama is going to be OUR President. Get over it. Give it a rest. If you find that you cannot be an American willing to come together with other Americans to work out the problems we face as a nation then maybe you should move to Mexico or Iraq or some other country.

By: Mike in NC

Mike in NC — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:34:27 +0000

Darth Vadik, CA January 12th, 2009 6:06 pm ET

Hey Mike Mundy, Houston, TX

How about a proper trial. Heck McVeigh got one, didn't he?

Yes he did you GENIUS. HOWEVER, he was an American, as such he was afforded a trial in a civilian court. This isn't rocket science people. To be honest the prisoners at Gitmo, a.) DO NOT fall under the US Constitution, and b.)They DO NOT fall under the Geneva Convention. They are NOT Americans, and they DO NOT belong to ANY countries military. You folks should really read up on both the Constitution and the Geneva Convention. There are NO international laws that cover these people. They were captured on the battlefield, while they were in battle. Honestly they COULD and SHOULD be treated as spies, they should get NO trial, they should simply be put in front of a firing squad.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:33:37 +0000

To those who say "they aren't Americans, they don't deserve rights" let me simply say we either believe in the rights of man, liberty, the rule of law or we do not. Long ago a man far more capable than I put it more succinctly than I ever could: "Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except Negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty - to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure and without the base alloy of hypocrisy." -Abraham Lincoln

By: john from sandiego

john from sandiego — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:31:16 +0000

relese them all in downtown D.C., they would blend in perfectly

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:20:31 +0000

@ Mark

The Bill of Rights never uses the phrase American Citizens. The Fifth Amendment states that NO PERSON shall be held to answer for a crime ..... or deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The sixth amendment says that in ALL CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial. The constitution applies to the federal government telling them how they should act in all criminal cases, not just those of American citizens. That's why we're the good guys.

By: mark

mark — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:16:41 +0000

WAY TO GO OBAMA ,WE ARE DOOMED WITH THIS GUY, JIMMY CARTER NUMBER 2. 4 YEARS OF DISASTER IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!

By: Home of the Free

Home of the Free — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:10:55 +0000

He's going to leave it open for all Idiot republicans.

By: tennisguypitt

tennisguypitt — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:10:39 +0000

Some of these comments are so stupid they make me want to laugh.

By: Andy Cornell

Andy Cornell — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:06:11 +0000

Where oh where will they go? Maybe we can spend millions more dollars to protect the ones that want us destroyed...

By: xavier

xavier — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:54:40 +0000

To Mark and the rest of the idiots making stupid comments,
You all are idiots. Your comments are proof of that. Only idiots would make such racist comment when talking about something that did so much damage to our image around the world. As for the comments by Proud American that only racist use the term racist, only a racist would try to justify the rhetoric of the aforementioned idiots.

By: not americans

not americans — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:53:07 +0000

These people are not American's so show me where in the Constitution that they are afforded the rights of U.S. citizens. You can't.

Can someone explain how a fair trial for these people will be held...first find the soldiers and Marines that caught them and get them all in the courtroom for a trial. How is that gonna work?

By: everygreen

everygreen — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:50:28 +0000

This will be a very big mistake on Obama's part, none of these people are Americans and they no rights to our way of life. I guess you want our tax dollars to pay for their trials too. This shows a very soft stance on Terrrorism one which we will pay dearly. I guess you like bombing and attacks, they most certainly will happen now. thank you mindless minions

By: Pepou

Pepou — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:36:10 +0000

Gitmo = Gulag. Are we better than the Russians ?

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:31:42 +0000

So he won't close Guantanamo in 100 days, nor will he pull the troops out of Iraq in 16 months like he promised in his campaign. Hmmmm, it's a good thing he has the economic crisis to take the heat of all the campaign promises he's adjusting to reality now that he will have to live with them.

By: SMK

SMK — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:31:42 +0000

I love how all my posts sit in MODERATION for hours and hours and usually end up never getting posted because you close comments. Yet, other posters continue to post non-stop. It's been nearly 3 hours, what is going on CNN?

By: Pepou

Pepou — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:31:12 +0000

This is one of the many reasons why I voted and campaigned for him. To regain our country's respect and pride.

By: lovable liberal

lovable liberal — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:29:15 +0000

Amazing, a President who doesn't want to keep building a gulag! It is a new day.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:29:14 +0000

It's nice to see America returning to American values. Maybe all you pro-torture folks could go start your own country somewhere else, and let those of us who believe in democracy and the rule of law stay here with our new president and get to work.

By: Bob Smith

Bob Smith — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:18:33 +0000

What's he doing? Letting his relatives go?

By: Darrell

Darrell — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:15:52 +0000

Obama will close GITMO and relocate the prisoners to a facility in a country where they still have no due process rights.

The move is a not much more than a PR political stunt.

I'll bet you the dollar bill in my wallet ('cause the government took the rest) that Obama won't let the prisoners go...chicken.

And why aren't all the liberals on this site raising a ruckus that Obama has flip-flopped numerous times since you elected him? Looks like 4 more years of the same. With that said, thanks for the pending tax cut Obama...I should have voted for you!! You're a better conservative than Bush and McCain combined.

By: No Incumbents 2010

No Incumbents 2010 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:15:11 +0000

@Matt
If Proud American can stop calling everyone idiot, you should be able to stop calling people racist.

By: boered1

boered1 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:15:09 +0000

@Mark

The Constitution DOES require us to follow signed, properly approved treaties, the one in this instant iscalled the Geneva Convention: there is your answer.

By: boered1

boered1 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:13:22 +0000

@ Mike in NC No I do not expect them to read them their rights on the battle field. I DO EXPECT, as a signer of the Geneva Conventions, the US to follow the rules for Prisoners of War 9after all if they are captured on a "battlefield" are they not Prisoners of War?) The objection is with bush redefining these POWS as "enemy combatants" not deserving of the rights established under the Geneva Conventions. There is also the fact that many of these were NOT captured on the battlefield but were turned over to US forces as terrorist. No background work was done on them they were considered terrorist, tortured and held without even verifying they were guilty of anything but being in the wrong place at the wrong time or having enemies who were, at the time of their being turned over, supporting the US. Those are the facts, so do I expect them to get a US court hearing? NO do I expect their treatment to be in compliance with treaties we have signed? YES Has this mimium been done? NO I do agree with you on one point and that is "I love the internet, this is the place where people who know nothing about a subject can "spout off" and tell the rest of us how things should be done based solely on "how they feel"."

By: Bjorn

Bjorn — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:07:32 +0000

I am greatly intrigued by the prospect of President Bush justifying the wrongs of his administration for the rest of his life. It is indisputable that is administration has done more to damage the United States' standing in the world than any of its predecessors. Will he write a book? Most probably. But I ask, how long can a book remain credible when its author defends himself by calling others elitist. It is a stretch for the son of a president, a former owner of a major league baseball team and a Yale graduate to call others elite is it not? When did elite become such a bad word? There are those, President Bush among them, who never had to work to be called that, but what about the others who are truly elite? Those who worked from the bottom to the top, those who truly deserve to be named elite. I wish for a day when candidates and presidents need not lower themselves to the lowest common denominator to boost their ratings. I want the smartest, most cultured, most successful people running my country. I want the true elite of this nation to be its leaders, and I want them to not have to hide themselves.

Hope,

A Student Abroad

By: Mike in NC

Mike in NC — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:04:40 +0000

January 12th, 2009 5:34 pm ET Good, the sooner it's closed the better. People deserve due process no matter how despicable they are as a human being and torture is not an acceptable practice for a civilized society - trickery and deception have a better chance of success. REALLY? Where is THAT written? Where was the "due process" for the people in the World Trade Center? Where was the "due process" for those in the Pentagon? How about the "due process" for those on flight 93? These people at Gitmo are not entitled to "due process" unless "due process" is defined as a bullet between the eyes!

By: Get Real, Boise, ID

Get Real, Boise, ID — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:04:10 +0000

Mike in NC, I agree with both you and Mark. You summed it up perfectly. Never underestimate the stupidity . . . or the unbridled emotions . . . of the general public. Obama want's to free bad men after all the hard work that went into locking them up.

By: Halden

Halden — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:01:15 +0000

The fifth amendment of the Constitution is utterly clear that it does not depict the rights of Americans, but of all people:

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime . . . without due process of law. . ."

Not no citizen. No person. It's in the Constitution. Obama is doing the right thing here.

By: Ashamed

Ashamed — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:46 +0000

USA, one of the few countries left in the world that still pursues the practice of torture. And some people here are actually proud of it!

I for one have always felt america would fight for immoral and unjust treatment of people world wide, not be the perpetrators of the crimes!

Sincerely,
An Ashamed Veteran

By: Will, NJ

Will, NJ — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:45:53 +0000

Mike and Mark, while there maybe no express and written system to deal with these people, it shouldn't go beyond ordinary judgment that in order to convict a person of a crime they should be tried first. The way we are treating detainees does not represent the views of justice and freedom that the USA stands for. It only further serves as a rallying cry for the actual terrorists and their supporters that we're willing to abuse and detain potentially innocent civilians. Many of those locked up at Gitmo are people that were turned over to US forces via local authorities acting on tips. This means that a man who doesn't like his neighbor could call his local police and have the man arrest under phony charges of terrorism and immediately that man is arrested and held for an indeterminate amount of time. I in no way have sympathy for terrorists and personally believe they should have no rights, but unless a person is convicted of terrorism they should have the same access to our legal system if they are going to be held by our country. Call me a nut if you will, but the thought of being imprisoned for years on end with no possibility of trial or appeal is a scary thought.

By: Very Proud American

Very Proud American — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:45:03 +0000

All the Republicans on this post are FUNNY! Your party will never recover with people like you vocalizing for the GOP......

To the so-called Proud American you have no business calling Matt a racist.....he is just calling it like most people see the Republican Party and BUSH......Show me how your party wants to Unite this country and then I will consider listening. By the way PALIN ain't it ....2012 will be the same way as 2008....a landslide for the Democrats.

**Stop listening to Rush & Hannity for your talking points.

By: tom

tom — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:40:10 +0000

I agree with you MIke in NC, not only do they NOT belong in civilan court , they are not soldiers either and that's why IMO there is a problem with treating them under the Geneva Convention rules. With either of these you give them a legitimacy that they are not due.

This is likely another promise Obama Hussein can't keep...at least not any time soon.

By: commie mommie

commie mommie — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:35:16 +0000

YES WE KAN! I am sooo happy that Gitmo is closing! I would love to host one of these extremist boogers in my very own home! I have an idea.... maybe I can can convert to Islam so I can be more sensitive to their needs.... that is if it is alright with beloved leader. No more of that foolish bush-man that kept these possibly innocent, possible homicidal jihadists locked up all this time. Solidarity!

By: mark

mark — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:27:45 +0000

Mike in NC

THAT WAS SAID PERFECT!!!!!!!!
Thank you...so yo uliberals, please show me the "constitution" ya'll are talking about that gives non-americans all of these rights

By: dejavu65

dejavu65 — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:22:01 +0000

Hey all those so bitter that Obama is President, its okay i offer a group hug to you all!! and some local counseling, .......but if its that bad i hear there is plenty of land in Europe, ta ta

By: mark

mark — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:21:52 +0000

Could these be considered pardons since obama is most likely good friends with most of these guys...lol

By: Mike in NC

Mike in NC — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:18:05 +0000

Darth Vadik, CA January 12th, 2009 6:06 pm ET

Hey Mike Mundy, Houston, TX

How about a proper trial. Heck McVeigh got one, didn't he?

Yes he did. BUT HE WAS AN AMERICAN AND HE WASN'T CAPTURED ON A BATTLEFIELD. When will you people figure out the difference?

By: deb

deb — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:45 +0000

Geez, the ignorance on this blog is appalling! GITMO is ILLEGAL. This is a GOOD move on Obama's part.

By: mark

mark — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:16:29 +0000

Darth Vadik, CA

Idiot...he was an American citizen....know what you're talking about before you pull a Biden and say something realy realy stupid

By: Mike in NC

Mike in NC — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:14:03 +0000

I love all the nit-wits on here that want to bash Bush and Gitmo. You don't take people that were captured in battle into a civilian court. Civilian courts are NOT set up to handle that. Are we going to have our soldiers reading people their rights on a battle field? I think not. You people have NO CONCEPT of what you're talking about. These people are NOT Americans, they DO NOT have a RIGHT to a trial in our civilian court system. I love the internet, this is the place where people who know nothing about a subject can "spout off" and tell the rest of us how things should be done based solely on "how they feel". I am constantly amazed by the number of people I see on here talking about the "rights" of non-americans based on the laws of America.

By: mark

mark — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:13:41 +0000

Obama loves those terrorist...and you're right, that was something that was made known during his campaign