29 to 7 detainees winning....

From Roger Fitch and our friends down under at Justinian

Roger Fitch Esq • August 31, 2009

Our Man in Washington

The report on CIA torture is the talk of the town … Despite heaps of redactions the dump of torture documents is a goldmine … A laundry list of US war crimes

These days, nearly everyone agrees that Barack Obama isdancing with George Bush.

Like Bush, Mr Obama pointlessly appeals uncongenial court decisions and invents presidential powers.

Obama cynically exploits miscarriages of justice begun by the Bush Gang in the alleged name of fighting terrorism.

Indeed, the Bush policy of calculated cruelty is in danger of being permanently institutionalised for people – including US citizens –with Muslim names.

CLICK ON THE TITLE TO CONTINUE.....

Andy Worthington interviews Col.Lawrence Wilkerson

Click on the title to read this interview by Andy of the chief of staff to Colin Powell when he was secretary of state. In the course of his interview Col. Wilkerson repeats what so many people have said about the men being held at Guantanamo (but is always ignored by the media):

" I received one particular assessment from a person for whom I had no reason whatsoever to believe that he would give me an inaccurate portrayal — and one reason was, that was his character, but another reason was that he had no dog in the fight — and his estimate of the number of people — I think it was 741 or 742 that we suddenly had on a piece of paper somewhere — of any significance was as follows. He said, “I’ll tell you right now that 700 of them haven’t done a damn thing except get in the way of somebody capturing them.”

NPR's Worldview interview

Sorry I was traveling back from Guantanamo and did not learn the time of the interview until it had passed. I understand you can click on the link below and hear it. I will be trying later today and if it is more complicated than it seems I will update with further instructions.

Listen Archived Anytime Online

KEEPING UP ....FROM HELL

Click on the title to read the talking dog's great post on what has been going on the last few days in the torture biz.

THIS WEEK

I am in Guantanamo this week seeing my two clients but sometime during the week I will be on NPR's Worldview. So have a listen.

more on torture techniques at Guantanamo

The Government's hearsay problem

For the legal buffs out there: Judge Walton (who is not the judge in either of my two client's cases) issued an important ruling yesterday about the Government's attempt to use hearsay instead of real evidence (like witnesses) in the habeas cases before him. Click on the title to read the scotus analysis and for a link to the actual opinion. Seems the Government is going to have to live with the same rules as the rest of us mere mortals.

six soon to be released?

Since Obama took office only 10 men have left Guantanamo. One in a box. Now there is news that six may be released in short order. Click on the title for the report from the Miami Herald.

Another Habeas Win

Judge Kessler just issued a ruling granting the habeas petition for Mohammed Al-Adahi (ISN 033).

Guantanamo and the Courts

I was exchanging emails with Andy Worthington regarding the sorry state of the "justice" department under the Obama administration and I thought many of you could benefit from the two articles that Andy wrote on this subject. Start with this one. And then move on to this one. If you have room left for a little more disgust then you can try Andy's latest article which is what got me onto this topic today in the first place....

I never had great expectations from the Obama administration but I really did not expect things to be as bad as they are....but they are.

State department interferes with military attorney's representation of his client

I just want to remind you that this is the Obama State department (sigh).

Talking Dog interviews Karen Greenberg

Another great interview by the Talking Dog. Karen Greenberg is the author of The least worst place: Guantanamo's first 100 days.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION

This is about as important as it gets in regards to Gitmo right now. The house passed a bill that will make it virtually impossible to move the men out of Guantanamo anytime soon. We need to get everyone writing to congress, newspapers etc getting the word out about this disaster. This is a paraticularly good project for our university students and law students out there to be working on collectively. Click on the title to read the bill and please talk to everyone you know to get the word out. This bill has to be stopped in its tracks.

Jawad attorney's claim military paid witnesses

Click on the title for more on the continuing saga of the young man (Jawas) being held at Gitmo since he was 12 or so years old....but that the military just does not want to let go of.