Now They Tell Us (Ongoing...)

Obama signs an Executive Order to close Gitmo within a year.  The Times presents a cautionary tale:

Freed by U.S., Saudi Becomes a Qaeda Chief

By ROBERT F. WORTH

BEIRUT, Lebanon — The emergence of a former Guantánamo Bay detainee as the deputy leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday that the detention center be shut down within a year.

The militant, Said Ali al-Shihri, is suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the United States Embassy in Yemen’s capital, Sana, in September. He was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007 and passed through a Saudi rehabilitation program for former jihadists before resurfacing with Al Qaeda in Yemen.

His status was announced in an Internet statement by the militant group and was confirmed by an American counterterrorism official.

“They’re one and the same guy,” said the official, who insisted on anonymity because he was discussing an intelligence analysis. “He returned to Saudi Arabia in 2007, but his movements to Yemen remain unclear.”

The development came as Republican legislators criticized the plan to close the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp in the absence of any measures for dealing with current detainees. But it also helps explain why the new administration wants to move cautiously, taking time to work out a plan to cope with the complications.

I'm ready to tell you my secret Gitmo-closed forecast - I see dead people.  But we will have better moral leadership!

Comments

[cathyf]

Sure, execute 'em all. Then we won't need a prison.

[Mike Huggins]

Quick, get that guy's kid a
nutritious lunch!

[jimmyk]

The press briefing with Robert Gibbs (O's Press Secretary) trying to answer basic questions like "What are you going to do with the prisoners?" was embarrassing to the point of being scary. Not a clue. (At least based on the excerpts shown by Hannity.)

[Terry Gain]

Al Qaeda, and Islamists everywhere, can't help but be buoyed by the election of this fool. Anyone who thinks we are safer today than we were under Bush is an idiot.

[Soylent Red]

I was listening to Dennis Miller this afternoon and he said something that really struck home with me.

Other than the American Left and Al Qaeda, who did closing Gitmo really appease? We've yet to hear the roar of acclaim from the all important French and Germans, and honestly, I'd be willing to bet that the Saudis and Jordanians are somewhat less than pleased.

[Terry Gain]

Dick Cheney, July 2003

" Our strategy in the war on terror is based on a clear understanding of the enemy, and a clear assessment of our national interest. Having lost thousands of Americans on a single morning, we are not going to answer further danger by simply issuing diplomatic protests or sharply worded condemnations. We will not wait in false comfort while terrorists plot against innocent Americans. We will not permit outlaw states and terror groups to join forces in a deadly alliance that could threaten the lives of millions of Americans. We will act, and act decisively, before gathering threats can inflict catastrophic harm on the American people."

Barack Obama, 2009

Israel: Open your border. Hamas: Cut that out... please.

[verner]

Geesh...a Rodney King foreign policy in the Middle East, Gitmo closed, Panetta at CIA, Islamofascist butchers in US courts with "Lawyers Guild" type pro bono attornies in front of Clinton appointed judges. Gee, I feel much safer now than I did three days ago.

Why don't we just plow over the Pentagon and plant a field of dasies. Maybe that's for day 6.

[daddy]

The closing of Gitmo is getting big air time on Al Jazirah and a number of similar channels here in Dubai. "Breaking news" tickers scroll across the bottom of the screen, while pictures of Gitmo detainee's play behind the various commentators. Unfortunately I do not speak Arabic, so I can't vouch for what they are saying.

[verner]

Here's what I think is going to hapen Daddy.

They only have 254 left, and let's assume that they are the WORST--including Kalid SHiek Mohammad. Here's what going to happen.

They'll get them here, and stick them in some red state. They'll give them radical left lawyers, and put them in front of the goofiest Carter (or Clinton) appointed judges on the bench. Then they'll pull out Tenet's book where he states that the CIA waterboarded 6 of them. Bingo, get out of jail free!!!!! Al Quada is laughing it's collective ass off right now at Obama's sheer stupidity and utter weakness.

If I were an islamoterrorist, I'd be chomping at the bit to hit the infidels again. Are you kidding!!! America on it's economic knees, a weakling for president--it doesn't get any better than that.

And what's the worst you can expect if you get caught. A trip to club fed with three square meals a day.

[bunky]

I guess there was never really a war after all. How could I have been so wrong?

[mike191]

Once upon a time a Reclusive Sage muttered something about riding a "stronghorse rather than a weak horse..ad nauseum..." My President has become a horses ass with the Executive Order to close Gitmo.Good luck in gathering future intell to keep Americans safe.

[not_bubaroooni]

1. put them all on one big airplane
2. fly airplane to dulles
3. put them all on big buses
4. drive them into the district
5. release in front of the white house or
justice dept.

it's that simple.

and for people that are all about form over function and style over substance, that should make for some great visuals.

hope and change has arrived.

[Pagar]

Al Quada is laughing it's collective ass off right now at Obama's sheer stupidity and utter weakness.

I don't think it can all be blamed on Obama.
It's the sheer stupidity and utter weakness of the Americans that put him in office. Both the crowd that voted for him and the crowd that didn't get out and vote because they didn't like either of their choices. The time to get started getting a good candidate that everyone can support is now.
Once the primaries are over, we are stuck with whatever choices are made.

[Neo]

For the betterment of all, the detainees from Gitmo should be transferred to ACLU headquarters until their final status can be determined.

[JM Hanes]

Verner:

You'll just love Robert Gibbs first White House Presser. He sounds two theme songs. The first one is already a golden oldie:

I think the President has been very clear on what he believes protects the American people and protects the values that we have as Americans.

The second tells us how the buck passing will be accomplished now that Obama holds an office that actually requires him "to work each and every day." Prepare yourselves for a lot of process, and for the commissions, panels, teams & consultations, that will inform his every decision. This President is not going to stick his neck out alone!

On the "process" commenced by Executive order on Guantanamo:

The commission has been tasked with studying any number of different scenarios relating to detainees and interrogation. And I think what's best is to let that happen and see what happens when they come back.

Defending a Raytheon lobbyist as Dep.Secretary of Defense:

Those very same experts that lauded the greatest ethical standard ever administered to an executive branch also believe, as the President does, that any standard is not perfect, that a waiver process that allows people to serve their country is necessary.

I think he learned that footwork from Hillary. On the promised "comprehensive financial package":

[T]he President will make a decision as soon as the financial team gives him those recommendations.

Along with some seriously disturbing suggestions on the economic front, there's also some buck passing battlefield prep:

The American people understand that things are likely to get worse before they get better, but I think they can be reasonably assured that he is working hard every day to get the economy moving again as quickly as possible.

There's no way to sum up Gibbs' tap dance when asked what the CIA thought of the new Field-Manual-Only Rulz. It's worth reading it in the original. In fact, it's worth reading the whole pathetic thing. You'll laugh! You'll cry! Wait an hour before taking your blood pressure! I passed that time by feeding the whole presser (minus some formal repetitions) through the Wordie Machine.

Thus inspired, I made an Inaugural wordie too.

[Pofarmer]

I'd be willing to bet that the Saudis and Jordanians are somewhat less than pleased.

Well, heck, part of the reason a lot of these folks are still at Gitmo is because their home countries don't WANT them back. You've got 245 people there out of 6 billion or so in the world. That's not much of a roundup.

[verner]

JMH, bottom line. They don't know what the f they're doing. It's all about style. The man has never made a tough political decision in his life. And the hussle and flow we saw from Gibbs makes me think that he'll never be able to do so.

So now we're in the hands of Pelosi, Reid and the very scummiest dregs of the Clinton Administration. We've got Rahm the enforcer, Holder the clean-up man, a Treasury Secretary who is an income tax cheat, Panetta to insure that the CIA gives Al Quada detainees warm milk before bedtime, and best of all, Hillary wizzing around the globe on her broomstick.

Glorious.

[verner]

P, Gitmo saved most of their worthless hides. Yes, that's right, I'm saying that Gitmo was a HUMANE response to what was happening to captives on the Afghan battlefield. If not for Gitmo, most of those um...freedomfighters sunning their fat behinds in Cuba would now be a fetid pool of scum and bones stinking up a shipping container somewhere in the Afghan mountains.

But does Bush get credit for that?

[clarice]

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/guantanamo-a-false-choice-between-our-safety-and-our-ideals/

[Extraneus]

best of all, Hillary wizzing around the globe on her broomstick

Heh. Should be like shooting fish in a barrell, eh verner?

Let the splashing begin.

[bad]

Great article Clarice.

I'm scared.

[PDinDetroit]

I know this is wishful thinking, but can't we just ship the terrorists no one wants to Antarctica?

1. No Government there so the terrorists should be rather peaceful.

2. Global Warming will soon melt the Polar Ice Pack so the land will be flowing with milk and honey.

3. Have a Save The Terrorists Campaign where I am sure that the well intentioned left-leaning Americans can donate to keep a terrorist warm and fed for only $31 a day.

[verner]

Great stuff Clarice.

Seems like a choice between being a hypocrite or being an idiot.

We'll see.

I have a feeling that now that Bush is gone, Gitmo will fade from interest in the so called Human Rights community.

[verner]

Well Ex, now that we know that our national paper of record is quite literally in bed with the Kennedys...And did you read about the NYT's inaugural party?!?

No serious person--what few of us are left--has taken print media seriously for over a decade. Now they're so blatant, they don't even pretend anymore.

The next four years should provide unparalleled opprotunities for independent internet journos! Just where to begin! There's so much out there.

[Captain Hate]

Maybe they're closing Gitmo so Obastard can have all his impoverished relatives live there.

[narciso]

So that makes #62, for those who say that noting the number of AQ figures who return
to the battlefield is so anecdotal; re the Seton Hall report cited to debunk the dissents in Boumedienne, so when we have another atrocity, Scalia can dutiftly note that fact like Abdullah Mehsud, regional Taliban commander. Of course, more likely than not, they will go after those who warned us about such things, and The One, in a 'neat reversal' of the events of the
Better Angels, with replace them, with more pliable members of the judiciary. Yes, I'm that cynical today, I'm tired of trying to find a unicorn pony in the manure pile. More likely though will be the response of his attorney like Shearson & Sterling's Tom Wilner whose client (how do you say 'free
as a bird' in Arabic) Abdallah Saleh Al Ajmi's will say, he suffered a broken arm in Gitmo; so of course he had to blow him up in Mosul, last spring.

Last night I just finished watching the State of the State Address from the KTUU feed in Juneau,and I have mixed thoughts.
" I know I can quit at any time" I wouldn't watch a State of the State address from Charmin' Chuck Crist, even if they paid me.
First, because it was so good, compared to the dirge praised to the hilt on Tuesday. I know as one of my neighbors has been won't to say "there's more people in Manhattan than Alaska" this was not a conversation about the Campaign. The contrast is so striking and sharp, but ultimately sad because we won't be getting that kind of clarity of purpose except once a year, and at CPAC.The KTUU people wisely cut the feed when Kertula the democrat spokesman began speaking because no one really cares what
she says anyways. Of course, the AP had their convenient takeaways, she's freezing
state spending, except for public safety, some republican did something stupid with the franking privilege, and the 'evil official' with the US Geological Survey
is coming home to administer the pipeline.

[Jane]

Nice piece Clarice. (I see you worked in a reference to MY MS)

I agree with all the "style over substance" and process as an excuse for substance stuff. Of course we knew he was clueless, but most people would be on day 3.

I have to remind myself about 10 times a day that in 1972 I was absolutely sure that Richard Nixon was going to declare martial law and that we were minutes away from being a fascist dictatorship. I was wrong. Of course we didn't have Reid and Pelosi to help back then.

On another note, I'm frankly appalled at what is happening in the impeachment trial of Blago. Does anyone else think this is a cover-up of immense proportions.

I'm rooting for Blago (well at least his rights) more than ever.

[Pagar]

Another well written great article, Clarice!

My only disagreement is with this sentence:

President Obama will have to show Americans how closing Camp Delta will not harm our national security.

I don't see any concern about our national security in anything Obama and his henchmen are doing. Nor do I see any thought that he thinks he has to explain anything to Americans.

[clarice]

Thanks...

[kim]

Turning the Constitution into a suicide pact. You know, part of the problem with some of these people is that they believe there are too many people already. They really don't mind if few or more get lost along the way, and they are so certain that the losers won't be they. All the better for moral purposes if it's the Americans who take it the worst. I see Obama as a grandiose Guianian Jones, a fresh color of Kool-Aid everyday.
=====================================

[kim]

And still no one's seen his birth certificate. Every official act of his may yet go poof. This is no way to preside, sorry.
=============================================

[Danube of Thought]

Gitmo detainees held hostage, Day 4.

The world waits, and demands action...

[verner]

Jane: Does anyone else think this is a cover-up of immense proportions.

Yep. As if Blago is the only corrupt pol. in Il. He's got the goods on all of them, and through some very very secret back channel (my guess is Blago's father-in-law) they're trying to figure out a way to keep him quiet and out of jail, and let's not forget the nice little nest egg.

[kim]

It is highly characteristic, and symbolic, that he would doubly oath, to cross every possible 'i' and dot all 't's', and overturn every stone possible to keep his birth certificate stashed, like partly eaten carrion.
=======================================

[C.R.]

Does anyone want to work on a Democrat to English Dictionary? i.e., transparancy = opacity. I think I'll have a need for it over the next few years.

LUN

"Former President Bill Clinton's foundation, despite identifying more than 200,000 of its donors in recent weeks, will not say who paid it windfall prices for stock in a struggling Internet firm with links to the Chinese government."

[kim]

Like the evil Uncle in 'Lion King', "I am King".
========================================

[8 cents]

House of Representatives voted lead to the outing from power from the balanc plan that he had hoped would vote was symbolic-only

[narciso]

Great piece, Clarice, as always, at the time of writing it, we didn't know about the latest member of the Gitmo recidivist club, Said al Shihri, now No. 2 in AQ's Yemen branch. As I pointed out earlier in the Scalia dissent, was the case of Abdallah
Saleh Al Ajmi, the terrorist who blew himself up in Mosul, last spring, according to his attorney Tom Wilner, poor fellow broke his arm at Gitmo and they didn't tend to it in time, so he had to blow something up, well of course, that's the obvious reaction. I know more than likely this would have been the recommendation for McCain by his 'Sancho Panza' Lindsey Graham; but they wouldnt have done on the second day of the administration, and cooler heads will prevail. With this crew,
Lederman, Johnson, Holder et al everything
is designed to dismantle every security protocol we have in effect; I'm talking right out of an episode of '24 aren't I.
Is there no "Horatio at the Bridge" who will yell stop to this travesty, in the
shattered debris that's left of my party?
Maybe Ken Blackwell, who I prefer over Michael Steele, for his ability to make
the 'nutroots' heads explode, although I'd
take Michael Steele. Well there's another, but she's 7,000 miles away and notavailable for another three and a half years, a sample from her State of the State address:

Today, when challenges may seem as high as Mt. McKinley, and change as constant as the mighty Yukon flows, and political events send shockwaves through our foundation like the '64 quake – what do Alaskans do? We climb Denali, we forge the river, we rebuild a stronger foundation on higher ground. When it matters most, lesser differences fall away. Just like family, Alaskans unite.

It was this kind of determined action that turned the northland wilds into a territory, a territory into a state, and that state, across 50 years, into a land of industry, opportunity, and enduring beauty. And now that perseverance is needed again, as we go through a time of testing for our country – a time of economic worry for many Alaskans – a time of challenge to the wisdom and resolve of state government.

Governor Wally Hickel said he feared more than any economic depression – a depression of the spirit. Alaska, it's time we revive the optimistic, pioneering spirit that our founding mothers and fathers birthed in our State Constitution! As we celebrate statehood – let that spirit rise now, and our actions correspond as our founders intended.

[Joe]

The closing of Gitmo will only show the terrorist element that the President of this country refrains from a "Heavy Handed"
approach to their "Cruelty" regarding attacks against this Nation. These people cherish the moment to inflict pain and suffering on our people, and have no regard for "Human Rights", but will be gratefull that we respect their so-called rights--when you attack this nation, you have no rights!

[Amused bystander]

Clarice: That is a wonderful piece. I think the tone is just right -- just the right posture.

You need to put in more time writing in these coming years. Just a great piece. How can we get broader readership for work like that?

[kim]

Re that Chinese deal, so far as Obama and the Clintons go, we traded the devil we knew for the devil we didn't know. I was so sure Obama could be ridiculed into defeat. Too bad I missed the timing; the ridiculousness is yet to be inflicted upon us.
=================================

[matt]

no offense to the Navy, but this new director of intelligence is an ass or a liar. He renounced torture, and yet somewhere inn this new administration, the definition of waterboarding is that it's not torture. This is the worst sort of dissembling.

The lack of media access, the poor communications, and the idiotic decisions already announced all point towards a bunch of knuckleheads in power. Wow, it's been 3 days and we have this on our hands. I feel all hopey changy.

[Pofarmer]

Clarice, I think you give this incoming gang of thugs waaayyyyyy too much trust. I don't see anything that says we won't promptly go back to Clinton's DA solution to dealing with terrorism. That worked so well then, I'm sure it will be even better retried.

[sbw]

Link to Clarice's article on Guantanamo.

[Pofarmer]

no offense to the Navy, but this new director of intelligence is an ass or a liar. He renounced torture, and yet somewhere inn this new administration, the definition of waterboarding is that it's not torture. This is the worst sort of dissembling.

Got a link to the waterboarding thingy? I would love a statement by the new administration on record that waterboarding is not torture.

[tom]

WHat we really need to do is start talking even more about birth certificates, flag pins and flubbed oaths. We should take our cues from Beck and Limbaugh on this. I also wouldn't mind it if we took Michelle Bachmans advice and started having hearings on which of our representitives hold anti-american views. That will show them that we are really serious people with real solutions to our very real problems.

[Danube of Thought]

My understanding is that Blair declined to say one way or another whether it is torture, and suggested that he did not want to say anything that might jeopardize the CIA agents who had engaged in it in good faith on the understanding that it was lawful and authorized.

But the fact that he wouldn't answer the question is a gem.

[Neo]

We bought you .. we paid for you .. and now ... News organizations concerned about access issues at the Obama White House

What mere mortals this lot turns out to be ...

[MayBee]

On another note, I'm frankly appalled at what is happening in the impeachment trial of Blago. Does anyone else think this is a cover-up of immense proportions.

Yesterday, Fox said a House Committee had agreed not to let any of the stimulus go to Illinois until Blogejevich was gone.

They are putting sanctions on one of our own states.

[Amused bystander]

Clarice: you might check out jerryofva's comment (#19, I think) on your article. The angle might be a good follow up.

[Amused bystander]

MayBee: Is that even legal?

[Danube of Thought]

Great stuff, Clarice--I enjoyed it in draft form, but it's a much smoother read as finally presented.

I would love to hear a reporter ask this doofus press secretary the following: "Does the president believe that the US has the right to hold unlawful enemy combatants without trial for the duration of hostilities?"

Then a bit of a follow-up: "Does the president believe that the determination that a detainee is an unlawful enemy combatant must be made by a federal court in the US?"

[Danube of Thought]

Herewith today's effort to persuade Tom to do something about the Typepad nightmare--it's Typepad's response to my complaint.

"Thanks for contacting us and for sharing your thoughts with us. Please encourage the weblog owner to contact us directly if they have not already done so, so that we can work with them on a satisfactory resolution to the issue."

[Pofarmer]

Yesterday, Fox said a House Committee had agreed not to let any of the stimulus go to Illinois until Blogejevich was gone.

Obviously, we need to keep blago in office, and dredge up some more state scandals.

[Pofarmer]

I also wanna know what color the sky is where tom resides.

[E. Nigma]

You know, I wonder who these anonymous or "unidentified" sources are for this story?
CIA professionals? DIA or DoD people?
How dare they leak information to the press under the nose of President Obama.
Really.
I wonder how long this goes on before Panetta is busy working out reprisals against his underlings?
Hear me now and believe me later, this administration will spend more time and energy controlling the message than thinking through strategy and making things work.
It will all be rather Orwellian, as foreseen.

[Cecil Turner]

So, President Obama is going to shut down our only POW camp inside a year. Since I doubt that means we're going to order our troops to "take no prisoners" (which would be an actual war crime . . . not like that silly stuff the Dems want to hold show trials on), the inescapable conclusion is that we've decided to stop fighting the war on terror. Apparently WaPo's Dana Priest concurs:

With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror"

Hate to be a naysayer, but I'm not convinced this is entirely positive. In fact, if historical models of appeasement remain valid, one would expect our allies to pause and our foes to become emboldened . . . and that quite soon. It'll be interesting to see how this diplomacy stuff works after the unilateral cessation of hostilities.

[bad]

From Cecil's link:

It was a swift and sudden end to an era that was slowly drawing to a close anyway, as public sentiment grew against perceived abuses of government power.

Not abuses, not horrible abuses, but perceived abuses.

[clarice]

Thanks, AB--My computer was off for a bit. I'll go check.Thank you for your fine comments.
Po. I was being smooth, not gullible. I am saying I am sceptical but willing to let him prove he can match his own tests ..

[clarice]

Cecil, Dana's just hoping in print, I think. If not, I hope the WaPo main office is the jihadis next target.
I admit I did resupply my emergency stuff after the election though.

[bad]

Yo-yo Ma and Itzak Perlman were faking it at the inauguration. What we heard was a recording.

I'm an idiot for being in such awe of their abilty to perform so beautifully in the extreme cold.

Shoulda known... LUN

[Jane]

I also wanna know what color the sky is where tom resides.

I suspect he is within 100 miles of me, so I predict it is gray.

CR,

You have an extra "t" in the link under your name on the last page, so it doesn't work.

I really want to go to bat for Blago's rights. I'm shocked, simply shocked by IL politics.

[Danube of Thought]

Cecil, we have camps detaining bad guys at Bagram air base in Iraq and in Afghnistan. As Professor Posner and Clarice point out, it's entirely possible that, up against his self-imposed deadline to make good on a rash and uninformed campaign promise, he will end up sending guys from Gitmo to Afghanistan. That will make things a good deal worse for both the inmates and the guards.

[bad]

Telling Illinois they won't get any money until Blago is gone makes his conviction a foregone conclusion and deprives him of any chance for aquittal.

Gitmo prisoners have more rights than Blago.

[narciso]

Yes this is what it comes down to, a
surrender, last November was our Madrid
capitulation,brought to you without a car bomb and subway attack; by the people who chose the Daily Show, and SNL and Leno & Letterman as their gospel. When the next atrocity, comes, not if let all those
awards for cleverness, turn to ashes, for the enemy is only encouraged by our retreat.
The whole strong horse vs. weak horse. I'm so sad for my country right now. Ironically
those most as risk, are likely to be those who most fervently voted for this ticket, that includes the greater Metropolis where
I live, which berthed 12 of the 19hijackers,
Abdullah Muhajir; aka Jose Padilla, and Adnan El Shukrijumah. And when the attack does come, count on him to take entirely the wrong lesson from it, that dissent is unpatriotic, that Americans need to be more
submissive, to the grievances of the Arab Street, needless to say forget about any personal self defense; that has been his life's work, his credo for twenty years. His mentors, Ayers, Wright, have preached
and taught it for a quarter century.
'negative liberties' dontcha know, get in the way of delivering health care, providing
indoc. . .quality education, and otherwise
spreading the wealth.

[Captain Hate]

With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror"

Do journalists have ADD or are they just far dumber than others? What part of his highly "nuanced" cortex failed to understand Bush's initial declaration of the war on terror in which he said it would not be resolved quickly? If there's another terrorist attack I hope to see a few of this clown's ilk hanging from lampposts.

[verner]

Jane, what would you give to get Blago really liquored up and just let him talk. Yes sir, Blago is the man. Oh the tales he could tell.

They must be really scared. Before it's all over, I bet they say he has uncontrolled bipolar, and is just talking crazy stuff about our beloved prez and his chief of staff.

[C.R.]

Thanks Jane. Here is the correct LUN to the article regarding Clinton's foundation (I hope).

[clarice]

Dana's a She.

Narciso, it's some Hobson's choice, isn't it?..We have to hope O is being disingenuous and hypocritical, not just D.U.M.B.

[PaulL]

The main reason some in the Media are upset with Obama is not the refusal to answer tough questions.

It's not letting them have as many historical photo opportunities as they want, which translates into fewer issues sold, and fewer viewers.

[verner]

With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror"

Oh Dana honey, when the sirens go off in DC, remember, it's not a war on terror.

[Pofarmer]

How about Disengenuous, hypocritical, and dumb?

Go for the Hat Trick.

[Pofarmer]

Jane, I was talking about the tom that posted a page previous, extolling us to work on the "real issues" whatever that is.

[MayBee]

OK, what I understood from Fox wasn't quite right:

The panel approved by voice vote an amendment to the spending portion of the stimulus legislation to put the Illinois legislature in charge of the money unless Blagojevich has been removed from office.

"It strips him of any authority to allocate federal stimulus funds," Kirk told Reuters. "I've already talked to the state legislative leaders. ... They're ready for this."

Was Clinton blocked from allocating federal money while he was undergoing impeachment hearings?

[bad]

It's still a big, fat incentive to boot him out.

[Porchlight]

Yo-yo Ma and Itzak Perlman were faking it at the inauguration.

Plastic turkey!!!!1!!1

[narciso]

I know I shouldn't post when I'm upset, I probably overreacted again, to Dana Priest/
Goodfellow triumphant statement of idiocy,
here's what the poor fellow, Al Shihri is accused of doing, which I guess qualifies for good behavior in the post Cully Stimson days of the Pentagon, under Englund, from Morrisey's summary of the situation:

"How did Shirhi get released? He told the Gitmo tribunals that he only traveled to Iran and Afghanistan to get carpets for his family’s store. The Pentagon’s dossier on Abu Sayyaf showed that he trained at a terrorist camp outside of Kabul, went to Iran to bring extremists into Afghanistan, and wanted to assassinate a writer on which a mullah had placed a fatwa for his
writings. Shihri was fortunate that his review came at a time when the Bush administration was getting enormous pressure to reduce the number of inmates at Gitmo, and Shihri went into the Saudi rehab program. A year later, Shihri disappeared — and now he’s running the AQ network in Yemen."

You know I knew that thing was a scam, when it was featured in the movie "The Kingdom", whoever was Al Shihri's attorney," stand up Chuck, I mean what am I saying"

[Barney Frank]

The panel approved by voice vote an amendment to the spending portion of the stimulus legislation to put the Illinois legislature in charge of the money unless Blagojevich has been removed from office.

Well if Vito is too corrupt to handle the money, we'll give it to all the little Corleones. What could go wrong?

[bad]

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, said he had been told by officials from Muslim countries that they would no longer send officers to the Army Command and General Staff College if the detainees came to Fort Leavenworth....students from Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia ,.. will leave, or be pulled by their governments...It’s where these relationships are built with foreign officers, particularly in the Islamic world. This really hurts us.”

LUN This sort of problem might have been discovered if the issue were explored before the policy was created.

[Amused bystander]

Narciso: I would not be so hasty there. There will be another attack or incident eventually. Probably sooner than we realize. Things will fall apart for the Democrats then and we can get back to defending ourselves again. It is tragic that more people will have to die, of course. Let us hope that when this happens, as it surely must, Obama has not already devastated our Armed Forces.

As I read somewhere today, Obama's Gitmo idiocy really only placates the loony Left and the enemy.

I really doubt that most Americans like it much.

It seem to be that the Dems are yet again misinterpreting election results. It is quite curious that he is starting out with this given all the Democrat corruption and the financial mess. I doubt if this is going to go over well -- it does "frame" him.

He will eventually regret it. Let us pray that it does not resukt in a devasting WMD attack.

[Pofarmer]

LUN This sort of problem might have been discovered if the issue were explored before the policy was created.

You are assuming that Obama and the rest care. That is a mistake.

[Enlightened]

"With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror""

Yeah.but. Time reports:

"Obama struggled with the practice of using a different pen for every document he signed."

Cuz, you know - wielding a pen is so uber-
messianist.

[Pofarmer]

Call it, "The Carter years, part deux."

Punish your friends, reward your enemies.

[section9]

TMG said:
I'm ready to tell you my secret Gitmo-closed forecast - I see dead people. But we will have better moral leadership!

I have one other thing that I see in my crystal ball: President Sarah Palin.

Unfortunately, not before a terrible price has been paid by all for this foolishness. There is a certain Triumphalism to Obama and the Democrats, as if Barack is the Roman General who is riding through the streets of Rome for his triumph but has forgotten to bring his lictor to whisper in his ear that "all glory is fleeting".

I fear this good feeling will pass suddenly, as will the myth that is Obama. You can just feel the artificiality of it, as if Obamaism is a huge, big balloon waiting for the jihad to pop it.

[Pofarmer]

"Insane foreign policy" works too.

[Pofarmer]

Speak eloquently and throw away all your sticks?

[Enlightened]

Re: Blago - he compared his situation to Pearl Harbor!

Bwaahahahah. I love it.love it.love it. He's got SOMETHING on SOMEONE big and he is utterly tactless in keeping trying to keep it quiet.

[MayBee]

It's still a big, fat incentive to boot him out.

Absolutely it is.
Blago's worse than a(n unindicted) criminal, he's an embarrassment to the President!

[Captain Hate]

Ask not how much the Jews have done for you, but why haven't they done much more.

[Jane]

Jane, I was talking about the tom that posted a page previous, extolling us to work on the "real issues" whatever that is.

I suspect the real issues are socialized medicine, card check, more kickbacks for the politically connected and Obama's legacy.

CR - that link was good, thanks.

[bad]

Bill Clinton must be laughing his ass off.

[MayBee]

Dana's just trying to boost her own self-importance because she (twice) broke the prison stories.

She wrote:

and the CIA is now prohibited from maintaining its own overseas prisons

What does that even mean when it comes to the CIA? Does she think the next KSM won't be whisked away and held somewhere for questioning?

I say there's a big giant loophole there. Like, the CIA will still take over a warehouse in the Ukraine or a hut in Indonesia for detention of high-value targets. They just won't call it a prison, and they won't maintain it for long.

[narciso]

You're right Amused, I was overreacting, mostly to the stupidity of Priest/Goodfellow, who thinks you can end this thing,
unilaterally. Maybe the Brownback thing is a bit of a pushback, this is coming out as well planned as the 'gays in the military thing, sixteen years ago. Then again Ft. Leavenworth, was where the trained General Zia, the 'godfather of the jihad', and General Abenina, one of the anti-Aquino plotters in the 90s, so sometimes the democracy lesson doesn't take. I just ask why do we have to learn this painful lesson and at what cost? It's rhetorical, I know about a margin of six million voters, who couldn't tell the difference between Sarah and Tina, who bought the 100 years in Iraq
line, or who simply didn't care.

[Pofarmer]

You can just feel the artificiality of it, as if Obamaism is a huge, big balloon waiting for the jihad to pop it.

Yeah, but what we have here is a cult of personality and ego. I must admit, I'm afraid the standard measures won't apply. I'd be happy to be wrong, however.

[section9]

narciso:

Fear not. Remember, in the most toxic political environment in our times, Obama outspent McCain in Florida 7-1 and only beat him in our state by 2 1/2 points. Obama's majority is on loan.

Your pessimism recalls that of Whittaker Chambers, who was wrong in the end because he underestimated the native wisdom of the mass of the American people. Remember, not even Hispanic nor black folks have a suicidal impulse, especially if AQ starts detonating VBIED's over here.

People will remember what Barack did to Bush's safeguards, and Republicans will remind them.

Bush was clever. He left the record clear as to who defended the U.S.. Barack's activity with predator drones betrays a misunderstanding of the franchise nature of Al Qaeda and its ability to act independently of AQ Prime.

Bush was also wise not to pardon anyone involved in interrogations, and thus lay a trap for Obama's allies in Congress, such as Conyers, Waxman, Ried, and Whitehouse. The people will not look kindly on witch hunts in the middle of an economic crisis.

Every year, the victorious political party yells "realignment". Every year, they're wrong. I'm telling you, the big party they had in D.C. was too triumphalist. I kept thinking to myself that it was the Triumph before the Fall.

BTW, check out the LUN

[matt]

U.S. Out Of Illinois!!!

U.S. out of Illinois!

[Barney Frank]

"With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror""

Technically, he only declared an end to our side of the war.

[C.R.]

LUN

"Sneed hears Blagojevich, who is weighing the possibility of a major media blitz, is keen on appearing on Barbara Walters' hit ABC-TV show "The View" with its all-woman panel."

:)

[Pofarmer]

LUN

"Sneed hears Blagojevich, who is weighing the possibility of a major media blitz, is keen on appearing on Barbara Walters' hit ABC-TV show "The View" with its all-woman panel."

:)

Well, he has the hair for it.

His wife's mouth, and whoopi's line up pretty well, too.

[matt]

Section 9;

The left did their best to destroy Chambers, and it took its toll. Having the whole world come down on top of an individual is a very scary thing to watch, even 50 years later.

Hiss was guilty as sin, and still maintained his innocence even in the face of the documents from the KGB files. These people have no shame.