Obama, our troops in Afghanistan are “just air-raiding villages and killing civilians”. ( 8/13/07 )
U.S. drops “enemy combatant” as basis for detention
March 13, 2009
Reuters
The Obama administration dropped the term “enemy combatant” and incorporated international law on Friday as its basis for holding terrorism suspects at Guantanamo prison while it works to close the facility.
The U.S. Justice Department said it had filed court papers outlining its break from Bush administration detention standards, and said only those who provided “substantial” support to al Qaeda or the Taliban would be considered detainable.
“As we work towards developing a new policy to govern detainees, it is essential that we operate in a manner that strengthens our national security, is consistent with our values, and is governed by law,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
“The change we’ve made today meets each of those standards and will make our nation stronger.”
Unlike under former President George W. Bush, who greatly sought to expand presidential powers during his term, the new detention policy does not rely on the president’s powers as military commander in chief to hold terrorism suspects at Guantanamo.
That policy has been subject to numerous legal battles and Supreme Court rulings that rebuked the Bush administration.
Instead, the Justice Department said, “It draws on the international laws of war to inform the statutory authority conferred by Congress.
“It provides that individuals who supported al Qaeda or the Taliban are detainable only if the support was substantial. And it does not employ the phrase ‘enemy combatant.'”
It said it had told the court that the Obama administration was reviewing its entire detention policy — as part of its plan to close the prison at the U.S. naval base on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — and further refinements of the policies were possible.
Wild Thing’s comment………
Can we use “enemy combatant” for the current administration????
Well to be politically correct…… the term “enemy combatant” was loaded with implications of people wanting to do violence against America. That term hurt their self-esteem. So, we’ll have to use a new politically correct term to indicate who these people are.
These guys that we let go and then find leading Taliban units or organizing suicide bombings are no longer “enemy combatants”? What other evidence we have to give these guys that these are DANGEROUS PEOPLE!!!
I wonder how long it will be before our troops are required to mirandize the guy that’s shooting at them!!!! So does the soldier that initially detains an insubstantial individual face prosecution for unlawful detention? And more of our troops will be injured and killed then before….who wants to risk a court martial over Obama’s pro muzzie ROE. sheesh I am going to cry! This is horrible. They are not thinking of our troops at all, not at all!!!!
The logical conclusion is that the new Administration doesn’t consider the Gitmo prisoners to be their enemies. Unlike, say, Rush Limbaugh, Rick Santelli, Sarah Palin, and Joe the Plumber.
Obama and Holder share a common trait…they care more for those fighting against America and her traditional values and underpinnings than they care for those values or underpinnings.
B.Hussein Obama has made his decisions by erring on the side of America’s enemies from day one. Well Barry, You OWN any terror attack that befalls this nation, none of that inherited from Bush crap because you have already damaged most of the process that Bush put in place to keep this country safe.
You Will be complicit in the deaths of Americans killed by the next wave of attacks against America or our interests, and especially our troops!!!!! What a slap in the face of our armed forces.
Attorney General Holder. “The change we’ve made today meets each of those standards and will make our nation stronger.
This has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever read The most dangerous people in America are presently running our government.
Holder’s law firm handled some of these terrorists cases in Gitmo. Holder also said there was no international definition of a terrorist when he wanted his clients case dismissed in court.
So now, he has permanently fixed anything else that might arise when he and Obama want them on our streets. They are probably the new state military police Michelle, Barack and Rahm want. They know weapons so no training needed.
This clown is undoing everything Bush did to keep us safe since 9/11.
Gee, if they’re not enemy combatants, what are they? Maybe he will call them “misguided brethren”?
Should we call them “those who paved the way for Obama?” I’m so sick and tired of this PC stuff! It’s giving me a headache! These people truly mean to KILL us! Why don’t many understand that? It’s really very simple you know. US-Good; THEM-Bad.
They are enemy combatants. I don’t know why that word frightens Obama and Holder.
I agree Bob F. Lynn, these things (I hesitate to call them people) are nothing but terrorist enemy combatants. Our troops should henceforth squash them, like you would step on a roach. No more prisoners, no need for GITMO except as a Navy Base, but B. Hussein may give that to Cuba so it can be used as a Russian Base. Yes PC BS has reached the point of insanity, compliments of B. Hussein and company.
Bob A.
I like the PC term, Kenyans!!!
Well since obama and holder are both, ‘slip and fall’ lawyers, I guess now they are ‘clients’.
Shortly, we will hear a noise of someone pulling the handle to flush the country down the toilete.
I’d like to call those prisoners “deceased”.
Obama and Holder want to follow international law of war. Well, these terrorists don’t and they actually violate most of the international laws. I also note that even though more than 60 countries lost citizens in the Twin Towers attacks, America almost alone has carried the war to the terrorists. I think we deserve to conduct the war the way we need to. Even then, we are still adhering to the Geneva Conventions(which the enemy does not).
Holder definitely has a conflict of interest as his law firm represented these enemy combatants. But hell, what’s conflict of interest to a member of Obama’s administration.
BobF., he sure is and he is doing it with rapid speed, I can barely keep up each day with the many things he announces.
Good one, haha “”misguided brethren”. yes Obama’s brethren for sure.
Lynn, I agree!
Why on earth are they so afraid to call them what they are the enemy.
Bob A., it sure has and Obama leads the way.
“PC BS has reached the point of insanity, compliments of B. Hussein and company.”
Jack, thank you for that link, I never saw that before.
Mark, good way to put it.
When that handle gets pulled I sure hope it starts with Obama, then Holder since they want it so much.
Tom, Yessss “call those prisoners “deceased”.”
Tom that is great to point that out about how many countries lost citizens on 9-11. The can’t be happy with this news now what Obama and Holder are doing.
I agree too, we are not fighing a normal enemy from a certain country. We have troops in the Philliines and all over the world tracking the terrorists down.