Senate nixes Obama's Guantanamo plan

[Guest guest]

That and they are learning that all politicians lie and say certain things on campaign that they have no intention of following through with in office. Obama seems to also have said things to appease the most radical elements of his party without thinking the promise through. It seems that he expected other nations to take these prisoners because they would love him so much and that the states would take others. I find it funny that it is the Dems themselves, including some who supported closing Gitmo that are refusing to take the prisoners in their own districts, even though that is precisely where they should go.

My concern is that they way the CIA and other intelligence assets are being treated, the way the border has not be secured, the harbors are not secured and cargo inspected, that it is still very easy for terrorists to get in and it will become easy for them to plan. I know that a group was just busted in NYC for planning bombings. That crew read like amateurs who didn't know what they were doing. The pros might even have sacrificed that group to see how we react and wait for the press to leak how they were tracked and spied on. I think we are going to see more attacks. Maybe nothing as flashy as 9/11, but it wouldn't have to be. I don't think that this country could withstand a series of suicide bombings at schools or shopping malls.

In a message dated 5/21/2009 11:44:31 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

I guess it is just a good thing that Democrats are being forced to learn what the laws governing our nation actually are.Administrator Huge savings on HDTVs from Dell.com!

[Guest guest]

How nice. Democrats ran on the platform that GTMO had to be closed, and now

they've turned their backs on those who voted for them and are keeping it open.

Funny also how there is not a peep from the Democrats about a judge's ruling

that prisoners there can be held indefinately when the Democrats were saying

such a thing was a scandal BEFORE the election.

I guess it is just a good thing that Democrats are being forced to learn what

the laws governing our nation actually are.

Administrator

http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/abc/world/contentposting.aspx?isfa=1 & feedname=C\

BC-WORLD-V3 & showbyline=True & date=true & newsitemid=obama-guantanamo

20/05/2009 6:33:03 PM

Senate nixes Obama's Guantanamo plan

In a rare, bipartisan defeat for U.S. President Barack Obama, the Senate voted

overwhelmingly Wednesday to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open for the

foreseeable future and forbid the transfer of any detainees to facilities in the

United States.

Democrats lined up with Republicans in the 90-6 vote that came on the heels of a

similar move a week ago in the House of Representatives, underscoring widespread

apprehension among Obama's congressional allies over voters' strong feelings

about bringing detainees to the U.S.

Obama has vowed to close the prison by January 2010, and the Senate's vote was

not the final word on the matter. It will be next month at the earliest before

Congress completes work on the legislation, giving the White House time pursue a

compromise that would allow the president to fulfill his pledge.

Additionally, U.S. District Judge Bates ruled this week that some prisoners

- but not all - can be held indefinitely at Guantanamo without being charged,

thus increasing the pressure on the administration to develop a plan for the men

held there.

" The president understands that his most important job is to keep the American

people safe and that he is not going to make any decision or any judgment that

imperils the safety of the American people, " White House press secretary

Gibbs said after the Senate vote.

Obama has not yet decided where some of the detainees will be sent, Gibbs added.

A presidential commission is studying the issue.

There was no suspense in the moments leading to the Senate vote, although

Democrats manoeuvered to take political credit for denying Obama funds he sought

to close the prison.

Senator Inouye, a Democrat from Hawaii and chairman of the appropriations

committee, said he initially had favoured keeping Guantanamo open until Obama

produced a " coherent plan for closing the prison. "

The administration asked for $80 million to close the facility. Obama promised

repeatedly as a presidential candidate to shut down the prison, calling it a

blot on the international image of the United States.

Rare victory for Republicans

The lopsided vote was a victory for Senate Republicans, who have recently turned

their attention to Obama's foreign and terrorism-related policies after failing

to make headway in criticizing his economic program.

Senator Durbin of Illinois, the second-in-command among Democrats,

pointed out that no one has ever escaped from a federal " supermax " prison and

that 347 convicted terrorists are among those held in them.

That drew some support from Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who represents

South Carolina.

" The idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250-plus detainees

within the United States is not rational, " he said.

Not all Republicans were thinking along the same lines.

" No good purpose is served by allowing known terrorists, who trained at

terrorist training camps, to come to the U.S. and live among us, " said

Representative Lamar of Texas. " Guantanamo Bay was never meant to be an

Ellis Island. "

With files from The Associated Press