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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe President and the Hunger Strike
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/01/opinion/president-obama-and-the-hunger-strike-at-guantanamo.htmlAs of Tuesday morning, Charlie Savage reported in The Times, 100 of the 166 inmates at Guantánamo are participating in a hunger strike against their conditions and indefinite detention. Twenty-one have been approved for force-feeding, which involves the insertion of a tube through their nostrils and down their throats.
Mr. Obama defended the practice. I dont want these individuals to die, he said. Most people dont. But a recently published bipartisan report on detainee treatment by the Constitution Project said forced feeding of detainees is a form of abuse and must end. The World Medical Association has long considered forced feeding a violation of a physicians ethics when it is done against a competent persons express wishes, a point that was reinforced on April 25 by Dr. Jeremy Lazarus, president of the American Medical Association, in a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
...
Mr. Obama was asked about the hunger strike at a White House news conference. I think it is critical, he said, for us to understand that Guantánamo is not necessary to keep America safe. It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens cooperation with our allies on counterterrorism efforts. It is a recruitment tool for extremists.
So why are these prisoners being held? Why is Gitmo still open?
PDJane
(10,103 posts)Skittles
(153,169 posts)our resident King Apologist will be stopping by shortly with 22 links
treestar
(82,383 posts)That is plain fact.
Keeping Guantanamo open
treestar
(82,383 posts)The President signed the Executive Order. That is plain fact. This is one of those areas where people reveal themselves as wanting to blame the President for everything. No one else ever seems to come in for anything, even Republicans.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)Why not transfer those who have wrapped up sentences or still serving time? There are countries ready to take them. Why not release those who have been absolved of wrong doing? Why not improve the conditions? Why not provide greater access to lawyers and counts?
It is feeble minded to focus solely on closure.
Skittles
(153,169 posts)you're steering them off their black & white talking points - they might have to actually THINK
morningfog
(18,115 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Call the Congressmen who won't do what they need to do - Obama would go along with whatever they passed to close it - this is one of the biggest BS against Obama, he can be criticized, but when people blame him for this, they are showing their true colors, they are obsessed with one man and won't make anyone else responsible even if they are.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)As usual. And don't had me true colors bullshit. What a fucking joke.
Read this to try and get up to speed.
http://www.closeguantanamo.org/Articles/36-What-you-missed-the-NDAA-allows-the-President-to-release-prisoners-from-Guantanamo
treestar
(82,383 posts)If only the President had all the power!
Some of you seem to want badly to be able to live in a simple system where one person has all the power. Our system is too frustrating.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)many of the detainees. Some have been cleared, some have been convicted and there are countries ready to take them. The conditions of gitmo also fall on Obama. Yes, the failure to close gitmo is shared with congress. But so much more is owned by Obama.
treestar
(82,383 posts)We have separation of powers in our country, which prevents us from being tyrannized.
And you know you complain when Obama does something with the executive powers, don't you?
morningfog
(18,115 posts)Your blind adoration and unwillingness to engage in critical thought or to educate yourself is obnoxious. I'm going to put you ignore to save myself from attempting to engage with you.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Just what type of country do you want to live in, anyway?
No it's not blind adoration to say Congress is a separate and equal branch. It has been for over 200 years and always will be.
Maybe those who can't stand thinking about that are looking for someone they can blindly adore? Would prefer to live in a country where they could follow and worship one leader?
sharp_stick
(14,400 posts)that's funny did you think it up all by yourself or did you get help?
Skittles
(153,169 posts)why?
sharp_stick
(14,400 posts)I find simple remarks interesting in sort of a historical way.
Sid
newmember
(805 posts)Send them back to their own country.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)I would be extremely interested in seeing their responses.
morningfog
(18,115 posts)avebury
(10,952 posts)American people want. It is beyond barbaric to stick a tube down the throat of a person who has chosen to go on a hunger strike. If they do not want to eat then it it their right to make that decision. Many of the detainees should have been let go a long time ago and to keep them in perpetual detention makes Guantanamo no better then a gulag under Stalin. Bush's gulag has now become Obama's gulag and shame on him for not closing it down.
Edit to add, this is not the first time the the US has force fed prisoners.
http://workhousemuseums.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=8
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/profiles.html