Well, looks like they were finally shamed into it.

[kierthos]

U.S. will give detainees Geneva rights

And they're insisting it's not a reversal of policy. At least from the Press Secretary, calling it a snowjob is even more apropos.

Comments

[the-corruption.livejournal.com]

Yes, because we CARE about those fuckers in Guantanamo. And GOD knows we don't believe the Geneva Convention when it blathers on about "uniformed" soldiers being the only ones covered by it's rules and laws.

Be thankful I'm not president, my response would have been to summarily execute every single "prisoner" at Guantanamo, and then closing up the base completely, violating the treaty with Cuba, and stopping the payments made to that country.

And if asked, I'd smile and say it's all the Court's/Congresses fault. Those thugs died because no one cared about their well-being.

And screw releasing them to their home countries. We tried that, we got threatened, they'd rather fight than take these international criminals back home.

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

Frankly, if they are terrorists, I don't care if they live or die. But we're supposed to be the good guys here. And holding people for years without charging them, denying them basic prisoner rights such as meeting with attorneys, holding minors (when they were captured) in the adult portion of the camp, and accounts of torture is not right. It doesn't matter who is doing it or why.

[the-corruption.livejournal.com]

I think that may be the prime difference here.

See, I don't want our government to be the "Good" guys. That's a fairey story in my opinion. I want my government to provide stable economic/social progamming, and to prodive for national defense.

I'm also of the opinion if you send a few "insurgents" home with nail-holes in their fingers and toes, you will eventually discourage more insurgents. I'm kind of happy we're viewed as brutal and/or cruel by the rest of the world. I'm a big believer in the calm caused by fear.

Screw being the "nice" guy country. "Nice" countries get butt-raped by the aggressive, fearsome countries.

Case in point, the Soviet Union was fearsome to the US for decades. Now, with few execptions, we let the Soviets alone, and did our best to kiss their ass because they could kill us and we didn't trust them not to on a whim.

I'm just tired of being in the big dog country and watching our government piss and moan and apologise for everything we've ever done, all the while sending trillions of dollars in donations to countries that can't get organized enough to run electrical wires to their citizens. Venesuela doesn't do this crap! They were a nobody country just ten years ago, but now they have oil, so Chavez is waving his balls around and everyone is applauding him. I'm not saying he shouldn't, if he thinks he can get away with it, more power to the little commie.

The same thing comes from that "What gives US the right to tell Iran it can't have nuclear weapons!?". Well, honestly, OUR nuclear weapons give us the right. If some country doesn't agree, invite them to stop us from putting pressure on Iran. Sorry, but this is how life works. The only time WE hear anything about "rights" is after some wuss gets his nose pushed in the dirt by someone who had the power to.

Besides, we don't have a monopoly on our own "good guy" country view. Don't the English think THEY'RE the good guys? Don't the French think they're cooler than anyone else? How about the Swedes? I'm sure they think they're the only ones REALLY doing things right?

For me, it's simple. Bad behavior needs punishment, severe and consistent, or you are only encouraging MORE of the same.