Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Audacity of Hope

click on the title.

What Next? (already updated)

I really wanted Obama to say something about Guantanamo in his address to the nation (and the world) today but alas he chose not to. However, I believe Obama has said something about Guantanamo with his appointments and that will have to hold me over for now. Last month I had the honor of meeting with members of Obama's transition team regarding Guantanamo and I have confidence that they are men and women who will try to right the wrongs in the "justice" department... it will take some time to clear out the Bush enablers and I sure hope they start with the attorneys that have enabled Guantanamo. I have my list for them should they ask!
I don't have a Chrystal ball but I expect that Obama will settle the Uighers in the United States and reach out to our friends in Europe and elsewhere to take some of the other men who cannot return to their home countries.
May they please move quickly.
After I wrote this piece I found in my mailbox an agreed order to continue a gitmo habeas hearing set for tomorrow morning...this is good news. The "justice department" attorneys were fighting until the very end for their expansive definition of "enemy combatant." Many of us were afraid that the Bush version of the law would be argued tomorrow... fortunately it will not.
You can read about some of Obama's picks by clicking on the title. All three were at the meeting I attended.... and I wish them the best of luck.

Here's hoping for a change for the better....

With one hour to go I thought I should express some hope for the future of my country.
click on the title.

For Dr. King

Children first?

Rumors are afloat that the young Canadian man that we have been holding and torturing since he was a 15 year old child...Omar Khadr, will be released and now we are hearing that Mohammed El-Gharani from Chad is also scheduled to leave immediately. You can read more about the children at Guantanamo by clicking on the title. Not only was our conduct regarding these young men despicable... we were also holding them at the same time that we signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (on the involvement of children in armed conflicts)on January 23, 2003.