tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post8375804711733602809..comments2024-03-11T16:52:26.540-07:00Comments on Can it happen here?: Democratic candidates on closing Guantanamojaninsanfranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07548452260456734928noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-65347297892812531862007-04-28T14:30:00.000-07:002007-04-28T14:30:00.000-07:00Jan:This is very useful. Thanks. I have to say t...Jan:<BR/><BR/>This is very useful. Thanks. I have to say that while I am fascinated by Obama, Edwards usually nails it as I go issue by issue.Chuck Blanchardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01417638725063186710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-69257217461450881382007-04-27T16:45:00.000-07:002007-04-27T16:45:00.000-07:00This is interesting. It is my instinct that it wil...This is interesting. It is my instinct that it will be easier for most of the potential Dem presidents to close Guantanamo than to renounce torture.<BR/><BR/>The ONLY downside of closing Guantanamo is the fear that they'll get Dukakis'd -- someone released will do something to some American. Mostly, closing the place, regardless of what extralegal thing they do with the inmates, is just "realist" common sense. The Greenburg is good on what they might do with inmates. Thanks!<BR/><BR/>On torture, they all will say the U.S. doesn't torture. But what it would take, politically, to get that genie back in the bottle, would be first to force all evidence that the U.S. does torture underground. Take the idea that anyone can admit with impunity or advocate for torture simply out of the public sphere. That is going to take a lot of doing. Short of a leader of actual moral stature pushing for it, I don't think it is going to happen.<BR/><BR/>And even if it did, then we'd just be back to pre-2001: the U.S. would torture its enemies (and domestic prisoners)and train other countries' torturers, but no one would say so aloud. This regime actually was somewhat more ethically healthy than the present one, but still depressing.janinsanfranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07548452260456734928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-18205873174873930742007-04-27T12:45:00.000-07:002007-04-27T12:45:00.000-07:00More material: a James Ridgeway article from Mothe...More material: a James Ridgeway <A HREF="http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2007/04/candidates_on_torture-2.html" REL="nofollow">article</A> from <I>Mother Jones</I> on Republican and Democratic presidential candidates' positions on torture. (I hope the link works; I'm a subscriber, and some of the emailed articles aren't always available immediately.)<BR/><BR/>From the article:<BR/><I>Democrats are somewhat more willing to declare a firm opposition to torture, though they have yet to make it a central issue in their campaigns. On April 13 and 14, all of the candidates were invited to meet with a group of retired admirals and generals to discuss U.S. detention and interrogation practices, in an event sponsored by Human Rights First and the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire. Only Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and Dennis Kucinich met with the military leaders. (John Edwards accepted the invitation, but canceled due to the weather.)<BR/>...<BR/>Still, it would be surprising to hear any of the Dems consider the torture issue enough of a priority to raise it in their first debate.</I><BR/><BR/>Did they? With no chance for opening statements and given a minute each to answer questions, I can't imagine they did, either -- but with that kind of restriction the question posed would have to be specifically <I>about</I> torture for me to regard the omission as a real disappointment.Nellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01969732734453586544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-88521191395018000602007-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:002007-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:00It is as important to repeal the MCA as it is to c...It is as important to repeal the MCA as it is to close Guantanamo. We have many Guantanamos -- in Afghanistan, in Iraq, soon in the horn of Africa if not already...<BR/><BR/>It's a symbol, but the assault on the rule of law of which it's a symbol can continue without it. And it can quite easily continue under a Democratic president, particularly one as wedded (literally and figuratively) to executive authority as now-Sen. Clinton.Nellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01969732734453586544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-89969417820393426252007-04-27T11:19:00.000-07:002007-04-27T11:19:00.000-07:00Just finished writing a post that made me ask myse...Just finished writing a <A HREF="http://alovelypromise.blogspot.com/2007/04/security-theater.html" REL="nofollow">post</A> that made me ask myself the very question you pose here, so thank you very much!<BR/><BR/>The TomDispatch <A HREF="http://tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=190141" REL="nofollow">piece</A> by Karen Greenberg that I link in my post should be read by every candidate. Consider sending it to any campaigns to which you've contributed.Nellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01969732734453586544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11093162.post-46293907675666600932007-04-27T04:55:00.000-07:002007-04-27T04:55:00.000-07:00Thanks, Jan!!! You gave me some insight that will...Thanks, Jan!!! You gave me some insight that will help me in the tough decision on how I'll vote in 2008.Kay Dennisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02646717192332313215noreply@blogger.com