Quote Originally Posted by dragonrider
Guys, the Bush administration has argued that these people are NOT POWs. That is the whole point of calling them "enemy combatants," so that they don't have to be afforded the Geneva Convention rights of a POW! The "enemy combatant" designation is something the government came up with so that these people can be considered something other than a POW but not quite a criminal.
Did I ever Argue this.. I said I FEEL they should be considered POW's. Because if you look at the terminology used, logically you come to the conclusion that they are POW's. I know what they are and how our government views them. You're stating fact against opinion. Do you make it a habit to slam someone's opinion, something they've admitted to not be fact?

I don't think anyone is going to argue or debate this with you because it is fact and everyone; from what I can tell; are discussing opinions on how they feel in regards to this ruling passing.

What a load of revisionist history crap. It's not the left wing who can't decide what to do with these people. It's the Bush administration arguing that these people's rights fall under neither the Geneva Convention nor our own Constitution. I don't think this is a left-wing vs right-wing issue. It is an argument between people who believe in the rule of law and those who would rather sacrifice the rule of law for safety. And I think that is a false choice.
The Left Voted for Guantanamo

Senate Democrats went on record Tuesday to support the war in Iraq and the continued operation of the US concentration camp at Guantánamo Bay. A large majority of the 44 Senate Democrats lined up with the Republican majority and the Bush administration in key amendments to the defense appropriations bill. The Senate session culminated in a bipartisan 98-0 vote to approve the nearly $500 billion budget for the Pentagon.

In the two most critical votes, the Democrats gave their support by a 37 to 6 margin to a Republican amendment tacitly supporting the Bush administrationâ??s policy on the Iraq war; and then voted 30-13 for a Republican amendment explicitly endorsing the use of military tribunals at Guantánamo Bay.

You aren't going to make yourself safer by sacrificing your rights. It seems foolish to me to say we need to protect our way of life from these terrorists by giving up the way of life that make us different from them. The Bush adminstration would have us remake our legal system to be closer to what they had in Iraq or Afghanistan. If we go very far down that path, the terrorists won't have to destroy our way of life, we'll do it ourselves.
What rights am I sacrificing? Last I've checked, in this great Country that I'm proud to be in, I have not sacrificed my rights due to the operations of GITMO.

You're wanting to combat enemies, who video tape beheadings of innocent CIVILIANS/expressed great disdain for us/have claimed responsibility for 911, bombing of US embassies and countless other acts, with compassion. Do you think they are going to respond with compassion to us? I seriously doubt that.

While there may be a number of people in Guantanamo who may be innocent I feel a good number of people there are probably there for the correct reason.

And as stated before the quote above; the left is equally as guilty as the right:

and then voted 30-13 for a Republican amendment explicitly endorsing the use of military tribunals at Guantánamo Bay.



In addition I stand by my STATEMENT; which is *MY* opinion, that we need a seperate process for these detainees. Maybe something supervised by a UN council. Although admittingly the UN is useless. It's outdated and no longer serves the purpose for which it was originally created.

Stop your finger pointing and look on both parties sides. It only takes a few moments to verify that you have data to back your statements. Information is key; don't fall for the hype that the entertainment based media (let's face it there is less information in news these days and more drama) and go research for yourself!! The more we fall prey to them the more ignorant we all become. :hippy:

fyi: I was in no way defending the Bush administration. Simply pointing out the obvious; that the Dems in addition to the republicans and Bush were all for Guantanamo. Everyone is to blame here; even the American people who turned a blind eye for years and years.