President Obama was quick to announce the closure of Guantanamo last week but the question is now what to do with the inmates. Many European countries have been arguing for years the camp should be closed but some are now refusing to accept any former prisoners. A case of not in my backyard? Should EU countries take them in?
11 Responses to “A case of not in my backyard for Guantanamo detainees?”
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OK world, you wanted GITMO closed and it will close. Now where do you want some of the most dangerous criminals on earth sent to? In an American prison, they will probably be killed if not by the inmates then by the guards and there won’t be a jury in America that would convict their killers. I say we send them to those counties which shouted the loudest demanding that it be closed. How about it France, you let Carlos the Jackal, a well known Islamic terrorist you captured free on your soil, how about we send them to you? What about it Germany, you let Islamic terrorists free or off lightly. Some of these planned the 9-11 attacks on America on your soil so it must be all right for these kinds of people to live among you. We’ll send them to you. Belgium, Luxembourg, how about in your backyard. Oops, I forgot, your countries are so small your backyard is also your front yard. We’ll send specifications, building materials, and protocols so that you can house them safely and humanely the way we did. You can have your own EU-GITMO, the first action of the EU superstate that will actually emulate the US in a meaningful way.
Some or most of the Guantanamo inmates haven’t been charged with any crime yet. The debate starts on what to do with CONVICTED inmates. Yet it remains to be proven, if the other inmates are guilty. Guantanamo remains the responsability of the United States. But as I understand it, the inmates will either get “fair” trials now or released to freedom. As a German citizen, I support the notion, that the EU will receive some of the inmates: If convicted, to a prison, if innocent, to a new life and hopefully without any hatred built up, caused by the detention-time in Guantanamo. And I fear, that the US has converted innocent people to people, who are ready to kill for terror and hate.
The locale of the GITMO residents are becoming an nuisance to some prisons and that states that house the facilities…..So, it is not only a problem in Europe.
~Dennis Junior~
It is a very important question.
no doubt, Obama’s action as a president of the United States is admireable and being admired every where in the world but quick closure has created new circumstances,what to do with the inmates.
on this matter,united nation a good form to solve this problem.
United nations Secretary General can have contact with the countries prisoners are belong to,and through negotiation and international law they can be convinced to taking them in.
According to myv firm opinion, it is best way.
On the contrary,if the in mates are tried in the United States it will be understood unfaire and not good sign for American justice system.
It is also best for aaaamericans safety in different parts of the world.
Hello again
Would that Marcus Aurelius 2 have the same wisdom as Marcus Aurelius 1.
Seriously it looks like Guantanamo is going to be a Pandora’s box.
Jim
It is doubtless to say that,
detainees in Cuba prisons,
and the trial court namely millitary commission,
are a black dot on the face of United States’justice system.
As for as inmates ‘s question is concerned,
it can be solved by wise assistance of the United Nations.
United Nations,
under the unque leadership of Ban Ki Moon,
can take this uphill task and solve the issuue,
as has been doing in the past,
history is witness in this regard.
RE “” Should EU countries take them in “”
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——– Blithering knee jerk do-gooder should be forced to adopt them.
Gitmo just a place representing previous adminitration. It serves a valid purpose as a secure holding pen for terrorists picked up in the field. Like any endeaver involving humans, always a few idiots and zeolots committing egregious acts.
Thus we have the case of the Uyghur Chinese radicals at Gitmo who were not fighting coalition forces They can’t be released to the Chinese for fear of being tortured but can’t be released to any other state for fear they will make it to China and create an incident causing international diplomatic uproars.
For this reason, Gitmo probably is left open with new operating procedures. People forget that there have been several prisoners released who were later picked up on the battlefield. Yeah, put em in YOUR neighborhoods and throw a block party..
Civilization only exists because we believe it dose, and are willing to act accordingly. There are federal prisons in the U.S., if they are found guilty send them there. If they are found innocent let them go home. If they attack someone on the battle field… It’s a battle field, act accordingly. We can’t judge someone by what they might do. If we did, we all would be in jail. By the way one of those federal prisons is in my backyard, but I choose to believe.
The US is responsible for having set up Guantanamo holding the persons incarcerated years on end. If the US sees dealing with that self made problem – perhaps some of them have now turned real terrorists – as a punishment, then that´s what it is. The person who has commited a crime has to atone for his actions, not third parties. To fully bear the consequences of one´s action is all the more important since memory fades. The next post Obama US administration having faced all the consequences of its former actions in its entirety, might think twice before setting up another Guantanamo.
The problems is Europe during the Previous Administration of George Bush (President)….people (governments) wanted to see GITMO closed, now, that President Obama has made the decision to closed GITMO and no one in pretty much terms wants to accept the Detainees from GITMO….
~Dennis Junior~
This is a no-brainer for anybody who thinks shutting GITMO is the end of it. You know the story of the heads of the hydra in Greek Myth? One head cut off another pops up in its place somewhere else open or hidden.