Webb opposes Gitmo timetable

[boston bean]

Source: Richmond Times Dispatch

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., says he now disagrees with President Barack Obama's timetable to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in January 2010.

But Webb supports Obama's idea of reviving military commissions to try some terror suspects now detained there.

Webb, appearing on ABC's "This Week" program, acknowledged that in January he said the president had established a reasonable timeline for closing the detention center.

He said he has changed his mind on the timetable.

"We spent hundreds of millions of dollars building an appropriate facility with all security precautions at Guantanamo to try these cases," Webb said.

"I do not believe they should be tried in the United States."


Read more: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/WEBB18_20090517-193406/268339/

[lapfog_1]

1. Webb is disappointing me bigtime... - n/t

[ShortnFiery]

14. Yes, I fear he's reverting to his GOP - conservative - warmongering days.

:thumbsdown:

[snowdays]

2. Obama made a big promise before he knew what to do with

the prisoners still in Gitmo. Now what? Obama also wants the tribunals. will they be done by jan of new year?

[FrenchieCat]

5. You don't get it. Gitmo is symbolic to how the Bush era treated

those they called enemies; inhumanly.

And you obviously don't understand the goodwill gained
all over the world in closing Gitmo, and what that means.

In the end, peace is about winning hearts and minds.
The problem is a thorny one, but it will be solved.

[snowdays]

8. Did Obama put out a detailed plan on HOW to close it when he made the promise??

[FrenchieCat]

10. It doesn't matter if he did or didn't.....as the benefits of closing something

that represents the evil of the Bush administration had to go. Period.

He's smart enough...he'll figure it out...but again, that's not the point.
The point is Gitmo is the symbol of 8 years of bad decisions, terrible foreign policy errors,
and inhumane treatment of foreign nationals that goes against all that the Geneva Conventions dictate.

That's the point you miss, and unfortunately for you,
it is an important one, even if you want to concentrate on process,
in order to justify your criticism of President Obama.

Go right ahead and criticize....I don't really give a shit cause I know better.

[snowdays]

13. I know what Gitmo is. so need to lecture. And yes it does matter

that a detailed plan is in place. And Webb knows that, and that is why he knows it will not close next January as proposed.

[tularetom]

3. I never watched that show before yesterday

I happened to see Sen. Webb say that and I was very disappointed in him. I gave him credit for having a bit more backbone.

Then I watched their panel discussion and it sucked so bad I turned it off.

[EFerrari]

4. There must be 5 freeper votes Webb needs. Ef him and his polling. n/t

[Algorem]

6. what a web Webb weaves when he practices to deceive

[fascisthunter]

7. f-you Webb!

[scentopine]

9. "we the people" nice story, like every fairy tale

No happy endings here though... torture, fraud, deceit, christian soldiers marching into war, $3 Trillion in bailouts down the hole, amnesty all around.

Dod, CIA, NSA, Wall Street, AT&T, AIG and Dick Cheney have every single one of us in a stranglehold. They are not going to give up their power no matter who gets elected.

Hard to keep track of all people lining up to hammer another nail into the coffin of hope and change. We've started two land wars in Asia, sent $3 trillion to wall street, But 240 prisoners and we simply can't handle it with dignity.

Politics is getting so far away from human rights and decency. From the 100,000+ dead in Iraq, to the let em die free marketeer health care CEOs, to torture, to see no evil wall street. This is a time every American should be disgusted and deeply ashamed that Webb and his colleagues can't bring a quiet decent end to this disgusting episode in American history. With the exception of flowery speeches, Obama is proving to be mostly impotent and easy to steam roll.

[DinahMoeHum]

11. IIRC, there is a new supermax facility in Montana

that is practically begging to house the accused.

[fujiyama]

12. Where do we release those aquited?

Into US society? After all, no other country seems to be willing to take them in. And where is their country of origin? Some were picked up in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and were never legal residents of those countries in the first place...

Do we try them in US federal courts, even though they have never stepped foot on US soil and technically aren't entitled to US Constitutional guarantees?

It's time for them to call them POWs and give them a military trial with Geneva Protections...

[ShortnFiery]

15. Whatever we do. GIT-MO must close within a year. We must be true to our word.

The WORLD is watching. Obama's sparkling personality won't trump reneging on our promises. :(