The Wall Street Journal reported that some prisoners released from Gitmo have subsequently been found attempting terrorist acts or fighting against in Iraq. -RichD

Of all the ...

RichD, were you imprison me for 7 years without evidence or charges, and set me free, you can bet your bottom dollar that I would take whatever steps I could to get even with you. That's precisely the reason Gitmo was a very bad idea in the first place. We didn't fight terrorists, we freakin' bred 'em.

Donald Rumsfeld told me so- nay, assured us all, in that lovably folksy way of his, that these were bad people, and that fortunately we didn't need to worry our pretty little head about them- all of our big Daddy Republicans knew best, and would take care of us by locking these bad people up for the rest of their lives with no chance at parole, or even review, for that matter.

Doesn't this judge know that?

But are we sure the Court was able to view everything it needed to know these five do not pose a threat? The Wall Street Journal reported that some prisoners released from Gitmo have subsequently been found attempting terrorist acts or fighting against in Iraq.

If I was kept in a cage for 7 years -- without trial, without adequate legal representation, without contact with my family -- I might be just a little tempted to become a terrorist if I hadn't been one before.

And if the Court wasn't "able to view everything it needed to know" ... well, whose fault was that?

About evidence?

Now that the Missouri results are in, it seems proper that a fabulous prize be given out to the person who predicted (or closest thereto) the election results.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/11/03/predictions/

To quote Iron Jawed Angels, "In oranges and women, courage is often mistaken for insanity."

Damn, that was a great movie. When Hilary Swank is good, she's very, very good.

But are we sure the Court was able to view everything it needed to know these five do not pose a threat?

The whole problem revolves around the (artificial?) distinction that has been made between terrorist activity and criminal activity. I'm sure the FBI and other civilian law enforcement agencies would find it very useful to keep all their tactics and intelligence sources secret, to convict mobsters without letting them know the evidence against them.

Wouldn't law enforcement be better off if citizens had no idea how the FBI gathered evidence? Even serial killers would have a harder time covering their tracks. Every time a law enforcement official testifies in court, or the State details its case against some accused person, this is of value to potential criminals. Yet society insists upon the state making these revelations.

I'm sure right now the FBI knows about dozens or hundreds of horrible criminals who are free in the US, but cannot be imprisoned because they don't have the evidence to convict them, or would prefer not to out informants and sources near to these people.

So why does society allow these people to be free? Many of them will kill innocent people or commit other crimes.

It is because we know the people running the FBI and justice system, however good intentioned, cannot be trusted to remain that way if given this sort of carte-blanche to "get the bad guys" - that it is better, overall, to let a few bad guys roam free, than risk the abuses we know would happen if law enforcement had these kinds of arbitrary powers.

Then why should prevention of terrorism work any differently? Are DHS employees and soldiers some kind of perfect humans who never make mistakes?

The government has to be willing to show its evidence or let them go free. It is a hard choice, and there is some risk either way, but for a free society, they can't have it both ways.

'Forthwith', meaning immediately, seems to be a direct order to let them go, now. The Bush administration has shown a great disdain for the law. Is there any reason to suspect that they will actually comply with the ruling, and /or, have they done so?

This may be a historic day for the return towards a more democratic process. On the other hand it may accelerate the descent into martial law. Waiting with baited breath...

would be perfect for a little poetry incorporating "stain". I personally like "insane in the membrane, the stain is insane". But I clearly poached that one from (?). I always really liked referring to Bush as "shrub" but I think "stain" is more fitting. I know GG meant the "policy" (see intentional violation of domestic and international law) was a stain on our collective souls, but it's really only a stain on those who were indifferent and/or complicit. Lots of us gnashed our teeth, wrote/write letters, make phone calls, alienate everyone we know trying to convince them to stand with us in opposition to this stain, but to little avail. Nevertheless, Bush et al are a nasty stain on the nation's collective soul, God's creation, the rights of men, the rule of law, the functioning of the military, the political process, the english language, good taste, real cowboys, mountainbiking, beer drinking, the DOJ, the judiciary . . .

cc Eric Holder.

Ondelette:

>"If there is the inevitable appeal for a stay by the Bush people, he may not be going anywhere until at least January. It's inhumane to keep him in isolation and deprivation (lights on 24 hours is a form of sensory/sleep deprivation) any longer."

My hope is this ruling will, once again, at least put mush-mouth Mukasey in a very difficult position. (*Ondelette, I, too, hope some kind lawyer(s) can stop fighting evil and social injustice, qawking at the bleeding crowd, long enough to get these people some relief).

bah.

What the Bush administration has done is shocking. And that they have been able to do it openly, with the whole world knowing about it, is even more worrisome.

My fear is, in its bid to undo the wrongs of the Bush administration, freeing these detainees may release a bunch of people who normally would have been decent folks trying to earn a decent living in their respective countries. However, the Bush administration might have turned them into vengeance seeking terrorists. The irony of Guantanamo is that instead of keeping terrorists from the world, it is creating terrorists to be released into the world. It is a terrorist manufacturing machine...