Oh, the wailing and gnashing of teeth by the grief-stricken Eurotrash.
He strictly opposed Guantanamo and Bush’s interrogation methods. Now it appears that President Obama’s anti-terror policies will be more Bush-like than expected.
His positions and promises during the campaign appeared to be crystal-clear. Barack Obama branded many of then-President George W. Bush’s methods in the war on terror illegal. He called the Guantanamo prison camp shameful and announced his intention to close it. He attacked the policy of denying legal rights to terror suspects in U.S. custody outside the United States and he spoke indignantly about Bush’s attempts to shield members of the government from investigation for possible criminal acts by invoking “executive privilege.” This amounted to a de facto obstruction of justice on the grounds that it would threaten national security, which, he claimed, took precedence over other national interests.
Since Obama became president, however, the signals coming from the Oval Office have been ambiguous. He halted the controversial military tribunals against terror suspects in Guantanamo and ordered studies to ascertain how the facility could be phased completely out within a year……
Recently, indications have been piling up that Obama’s anti-terrorism policies will be more similar to Bush’s than had been expected. On his second day in office, Obama ordered a review of conditions in Guantanamo that is expected to be released this week. According to a New York Times report, the review came to the conclusion that the conditions of detention adhered to guidelines laid out in the Geneva Conventions. It also concluded with a warning that closing Guantanamo and transferring the inmates to other prisons could result in a worsening of their living conditions.
Not mentioned is the possibility of escape or recruitment of other inmates to ‘jihad’, or the loss of direct control by the military. They’re at GITMO for a reason. They earned it.
……Others surmise Obama’s administration is preparing arguments that may lead to an extension of Guantanamo’s existence.
According to U.S. media reports, the administration is engaged in serious debate behind closed doors as to just how much change in anti-terrorism policy is possible without endangering national security. There is also no agreement yet as to which agencies will have decisive influence in the matter. As long as the Pentagon and especially the Navy is responsible, military perspectives and security arguments will receive more consideration than if the civilian Justice Department has control.
……Like the Bush administration before it, the Obama administration has decided that since the prison is outside the geographical boundaries of the United States, prisoners there have no right to appeal their convictions in American courts. ACLU attorney Jonathan Hafetz, who represents the prisoners, has since accused the Obama administration of “accepting the Bush policy of creating courts outside the judicial system.”
A third indication of a more strict line to be pursued by the Obama administration is the handling of official secrets and the issue of “executive privilege” when it comes to protecting government officials and their actions in the war on terror. Thus far, the signals from the Oval Office have also been ambiguous. A week ago, Attorney General Holder promised to review every executive order put into effect by George W. Bush. On that same day, however, government attorney David Letter used the same privilege in seeking to protect Boeing from charges that it aided the Central Intelligence Agency with their illegal rendition flights.
http://watchingamerica.com/News/21491/obama-flirts-with-the-bush-line/
Take heart, comrades. He’s got at least four years to completely unravel the security of the United States and unleash the rabid muslim terrorists from GITMO.
Flip flop comes to mind, SFC.