Wikileaks...and Guantanamo

Our heroes at Wikileaks are at it again. I expect there will be some interesting documents related to the effort to find homes for the men who cannot return to their homeland, the deals that were made and the deals that fell through....and who knows what else.

Those of us who are tired of living in a police state that monitors everyones every move are forever grateful to the men and women exposing my government's lies, corruption, and incompetence.

Special thanks also goes to the country of Ecuador for offering sanctuary and a platform for Assange.

IMAGINE THAT...THE JUSTICE SYSTEM WORKED

Today a New York jury convicted a former detainee from Guantanamo of one count of conspiracy...dismissing some 180 other counts. Does this mean our judicial system should be thrown away...for not convicting a man that was tortured and framed? Or does it mean that there is still hope for our system despite the fear mongers and those that would like to see us use military law whenever the word "terrorist" is thrown out there.... ? The jury is still out on that question and I for one will not hold my breath.

I will only say that the framers of our constitution understood quite well what happens when there is no system of justice and they worked quite hard to frame a system that insured the independence of the judiciary. Unfortunately some in our judiciary have been the worst advocates for maintaining that system as they seek "guidance" and "direction" from the politicians as to how to do their job. Shame on them....

But heartfelt thanks to the New York Jury....this was a difficult case because of all of the pressure by the pundits..... and you made those of us who care about our judicial system proud.

New Yorks own talking dog has this to say about the verdict.

For those in the Baltimore area.....

Pioneering American composer Annea Lockwood is about to present in Baltimore In Our Name, a new composition featuring poetry written by Guantanamo Bay prisoners.

Sponsored by Maryland ACLU, the concert will be held at An Die Musik on November 17 and involve Thomas Buckner, baritone, Annea Lockwood, electronics and voice, and Ted Mook, cello.

Lockwood’s In Our Name, a collaboration with Buckner, builds on excerpts of poetry written by Jumah al Dossari, Osama Abu Kabir and Emad Abdullah Hassan while incarcerated without trial at Guantanamo Bay.

For more information about the up-coming Baltimore concert, to request images or to arrange interviews with the composer or performers, contact Raymond Beegle at booking@thomasbuckner.com

Remembering....

On this veteran's day 2010 I salute the military defense lawyers representing the men at Guantanamo. Men and women who have risked their careers to ensure that the Constitution they swore to uphold...is followed.

NOT WITH A BANG....BUT A WHIMPER

Yesterday came and went and no one was indicted for destroying the videotapes that graphically showed the torture that we subjected at least three men. The statute of limitations is now up for that particular crime.

Emptywheel has more here.

Meanwhile Bush continues to brag about his role in the torture program.

what a sick country.

ARE YOU FEELING SAFER NOW?

Well the "show sentencing" is over. By making his plea deal, the kid we locked up and tortured since age 15 agreed not to contest the made up accusations against him and the "jury" gave him 40 make believe years. Of course if he contested who knows what would have happened so it was probably the safest move for him. Soooo, this unfortunate young man will spend the next year in solitary confinement (unless his attorneys were able to get that changed in the plea deal) because those are the rules of my pathetic country.....once found guilty they are locked in solitary. Then he moves on to his homeland for the rest of his seven year sentence and that becomes an issue for the Canadians. No great hope there as the Canadians wouldn't lift a finger to help their young son all these years. The best that can be hoped for is that the Canadians dump Stephen Harper and go back to being the Canadians that we all knew and loved... as the country to find sanctuary..... so far, things look as glum as ever on that score.

Meanwhile, it seems that some on my side of the boarder are thinking that sentencing based on a plea deal that requires not only an admission but an agreement not to contest really shouldn't stand......

Finally, I hope the rest of the world takes note, killing US soldiers is a war crime..

The galloping beaver has more here.

Daphne Eviatar has more here.

And Andy Worthington gives us a glimpse of the human side.

All of this leaves me wondering when my country will hit rock bottom....seems the bottom is further away than I thought.