Taking back "Gitmo"
Petraeus is playing follow the leader.
While it clearly has a troubled history which goes beyond questions of torture or abuse. the US should keep the detention facility at Gitmo and do so in a way which makes Gitmo a positive symbol as far as a detention facility can be a positive symbol. It can be run as an example of how a detention facility should be run. It might even be close to that now. It started out in 2002 under Lehnert in a good light (Lehnert treated all as if Geneva covered them, called in the ICRC, etc.). That early Bush era policies were atrocious does not mean it is irretrievable.
Simply walking away from problem areas, as done at Abu Ghraib, is not a good practice in general. It's basically an attempt to sweep symbolic dust under the rug. If Gitmo is too expensive or has other problems as a prison, put those on the table and close it for those reasons. That it has negative connotations from the past does not mean that it cannot be rehabilitated. If it's broke, as a symbol or in fact, fix it or recapitalize it.
Do we close the White House after a scandal there taints it?
While it clearly has a troubled history which goes beyond questions of torture or abuse. the US should keep the detention facility at Gitmo and do so in a way which makes Gitmo a positive symbol as far as a detention facility can be a positive symbol. It can be run as an example of how a detention facility should be run. It might even be close to that now. It started out in 2002 under Lehnert in a good light (Lehnert treated all as if Geneva covered them, called in the ICRC, etc.). That early Bush era policies were atrocious does not mean it is irretrievable.
Simply walking away from problem areas, as done at Abu Ghraib, is not a good practice in general. It's basically an attempt to sweep symbolic dust under the rug. If Gitmo is too expensive or has other problems as a prison, put those on the table and close it for those reasons. That it has negative connotations from the past does not mean that it cannot be rehabilitated. If it's broke, as a symbol or in fact, fix it or recapitalize it.
Do we close the White House after a scandal there taints it?
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The Guantanamo Bay detention facility should be closed, because it was conceived initially as a place where the government could strip away the Natural rights of humans, and do whatever it wanted to them. For this reason, Guantanamo Bay will forever be tainted.
Besides, not closing it impairs the ability of a private venture to purchase it, and construct a unique Vacation Resort Spa, tailored especially to meet the special needs of Contemporary Conservatives.
May 27, 2009 2:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Other than the use for which PCA suggested, why do we need a prison facility in Cuba, positive symbol or not?
May 27, 2009 3:27 AM | Reply | Permalink