Anyone see the 60 Minutes piece on the Saudis released from Gitmo?

[ColbertWatcher]

A special plane is sent to pick them up, they get medical care, a car and cash.

Does it seem like they're being rewarded?

Here's the link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/30/60minutes/main4980766.shtml

[Gregorian]

1. This brilliant approach is exactly what I've been preaching for decades.

Support. A hand up, not a hand out.

It's the opposite of punitive. It is supportive. And after all, we are human beings, despite what our punitive judicial system seems to think.

Pay someone, and they'll do just about anything. Good or bad.

I remember as a child, I couldn't tell time. I tried. My mom gave me a dime every time I did it properly, and before long I was reading the clock. The same for wetting my bed. A dime did the trick.

This is an example the world can learn from.

[Ohio Joe]

11. A dime made you stop wetting the bed?

I'm sorry... I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around that.

[Gregorian]

15. Instead of punishment.

Whenever I didn't wet the bed I was rewarded with a dime.

The alternative, which is the usual case, is to punish. That pretty much results in neurotic people. At least that's what I have seen.

[stillcool]

2. Thank Goodness they're out of there..

is all I can say. I know nothing will ever make them whole again but I hope they can find their way to some peace. It's great that medical care, a car, and cash, is provided by their own government..until the lawsuits pay out.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. You forgot the house. :)

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Oh yes.

And the sly implication that Wahabi-ism is somehow "true" Islam.

[malaise]

7. and the car

and the wife.

My problem was with Bushco allowing the Saudis to send their 747s to pick up their people in secret while locking up several Europeans and others.

[dgibby]

4. No, it appears to be rehab, not reward.

According to the program, they have a 90% success rate. Maybe we could learn something from them.

[ColbertWatcher]

6. I hope so, but the Saudis aren't known for having the best justice system in the world.

No matter what they did, they cannot pretend they don't fund terrorism.

Nor can these cosmetic actions hide how they treat women.

[Gregorian]

10. I'll admit that subconsciously it had a propaganda feel to it.

It could very well be that they're saying the US sucks by virtue of lavishing good stuff on these guys. I'm not saying we don't suck. Nor that they don't suck. You're right about their justice and civil rights, or lack thereof.

[aquart]

8. "To make a conservative, you must first give him something to conserve."

Just be glad they're not suing the bloody hell out of us.

[elleng]

9. Grazie!

Try this clip:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4988114n

[closeupready]

12. From what I've read, such royal gift-giving is typical in the Middle East

Cars and other goods are gifted to all kinds of 'supplicants' I guess is the word.

[Toucano]

13. I don't see it as a reward.

More of a carrot to eliminate some of the factors that cause people to turn to radicalism.

It actually got me thinking what our own ciminal system might look like if upon release, a convict got a job and a place to live and a little money to get started.


I found the emphasis on marriage interesting. It has been said that the Islamic strict prohibition on premarital sex may be a factor in radicalizing young men. Eliminate one of their frustrations, and suddenly they don't care much for attacking the west.

[Bigmack]

14. I've always thought that we could seduce...

most near anybody. R-rated movies .... hell, X-rated movies, blonde hookers, bling..... Could a jihadi resist that kind of torture?