Raf Casert reports: "US Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Obama administration will do its utmost to close the US prison at Guantanamo Bay before next year's presidential elections despite political opposition. Holder said at the European Parliament that even if the current administration fails to close it ahead of elections, it will continue to press ahead if it wins the November 2012 presidential vote."
With attempts by the Obama administration to close Guantanamo stalled, some 170 detainees remain at the detention center. (photo: Getty Images)
Eric Holder Vows to Close Guantanamo and End Torture
20 September 11
S Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Obama administration will do its utmost to close the US prison at Guantanamo Bay before next year's presidential elections despite political opposition.
The campaign promise to close Guantanamo has been a major problem for President Barack Obama since he took office. He had promised to close the prison within a year but it remains open as his campaign for re-election gets under way. (photo: AFP) Holder said at the European Parliament that even if the current administration fails to close it ahead of elections, it will continue to press ahead if it wins the November 2012 presidential vote.
Republican presidential rival Rick Perry has said he is happy the US prison at Guantanamo has been kept open.
Holder said the administration wants to close the facility "as quickly as possible, recognizing that we will face substantial pressure."
The campaign promise to close Guantanamo has been a major problem for President Barack Obama since he took office. He had promised to close the prison within a year but it remains open as his campaign for re-election gets under way.
"We will be pressing for the closure of the facility between now and then - and after that election, we will try to close it as well," Holder said. "Some people have made this a political issue without looking at, I think, the real benefits that would flow from the closure of the facility."
The administration of George W. Bush opened the prison for terrorist suspects at the US Navy base in Cuba, and Obama, amid a clamor on both sides of the Atlantic to close the prison, vowed to do just that and move the detainees elsewhere.
In December, congressional conservatives spearheaded legislation that barred the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States. In several other congressional votes last year, many Democrats joined Republicans in opposing bringing such prisoners to the US for trial or detention.
Holder also said that the United States would stick to the "fundamental break" with some interrogation techniques that were criticized around the world as amounting to torture.
Some suspected terrorists faced sleep deprivation and the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding. In the wake of US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May, a debate began over the extent to which such techniques led to the hideout where Bin Laden was found and killed.
"We have indicated that certain techniques that were used previously are in fact torture, and will not be engaged in again by the United States," Holder said.
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I am sure the skeptics on this board will see these pronouncements as pure pre-election postures, talk with no action and so far they would be right. So the test is clear: action is needed to back these up.
It seems to me that the lack of action on these issues is tantamount to complicity.
Holder said the administration wants to close the facility 'as quickly as possible, RECOGNIZING THAT WE WILL FACE SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE.' "
-Apparently, they are starting to remember who voted for them in the first place.
I've been proposing the same campaign slogan for the past 6 months:
OBAMA / BIDEN - TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
If this quote is accurate it is the Atty Gen of the USA stating plainly that the highest "officials" in the US Govt conducted, condoned and authorized illegal action. He acknowledges publicly that crimes were committed by US personnel, so can he now legally ignore them?
As for ending torture?
Eric Holder.... Define exactly what "Torture" means to you personally and then all the applications of "Torture" currently being used and could be used in the future that you will "End".
Specifics please.
(Does enhanced interrogations fall under the category of "torture"?)
War Crimes (water-boarding ) have been confessed to by Cheney. It is Anti-Christ, Anti-Constituti on, and Anti-statute law and Anti-internatio nal treaty. Anti-Christ (Romans 12: 17), Anti-Constituti on The United States Constitution Section 8, Clause 1, reads: “The Congress shall have power to …” Clause 11: “… make rules concerning captures on land and water;” Clause 14: “To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;” and Clause 18: “To make all laws … .” Anti-laws at USC Title 18 Part 1 Chapter 113C, and at Geneva Conventions IV signed by U.S. on 12/Aug/1949 ratified by same on 02/Aug/1955, and the 1984 UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment: signed by U.S. on 18/ Apr/ 1988 and ratified by same on 21/ Oct/ 1994.
Article II, Section 2 [Presidential powers] does not grant the president power to set aside criminal laws nor treaties, at any time. Section 3 says “ .. he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, …”
did he suddenly realize that even running against a crazy person, his reelection was not in the bag? that perhaps you actually have to stand for SOMETHING? did his volunteers tells him that i've called the white house several times and cried on the phone, saying that i've regretted my vote and will never do it again?
it's very strange to me that he's suddenly acting like a man, like a president
do i dare hope? i'm suspicious and too burned to be betrayed again
The thing is, the whole damn U.S. naval base in Guatanamo should be shut down, exited from Cuba. It is a product of the one-sided Platt Amendment, enacted in the early 1900s. Cuban leaders intially refused to sign it, seeing it as a violation of Cuba's sovereignty. But they were given the ultimatum of either signing it, or U.S. leaders would put Cuba under permanent, overall military occupation.
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