Guantánamo: some views
Even the man whose “opinion” (but not his “advice”, remember) was used as the legal justication of the Iraq invasion has decided to speak out against the Guantánamo Bay detention centre.
It is time, in my view, that it should close. Not only would it, in my personal opinion, be right to close Guantánamo as a matter of principle, I believe it would also help to remove what has become a symbol to many - right or wrong - of injustice. — Lord Goldsmith, Attorney General, 10th May 2006
Here’s what some other people think:
I have said this before, I think it is an anomaly and you cannot maintain it forever. It is obviously a difficult situation. I think most people recognise at some point this has got to be brought to an end.—Tony Blair, PM, 22nd November 2005
I would prefer that it wasn’t there. I would prefer it was closed, yes. —Peter Hain, Northern Ireland secretary, 16th February 2006
I am absolutely clear that the US has no intention of maintaining a Gulag in Guantánamo Bay. They want to see the situation resolved and they would like it other than it is. However, that is the situation that they have. —Jack Straw, foreign secretary, 21st February 2006
After Hain’s comment earlier this year, Blair was invited to agree. He declined to go further than his already stated position that Guantanamo was an “anomaly” that would have to end “sooner or later”. So why has Goldsmith decided that “it is time” to speak up now, and what will be Blair’s response to his latest proffered opinion? Is it a sign of Blair’s weakness, or is Goldsmith acting on orders? Perhaps we shall see tomorrow.
I very much would like to end Guantánamo; I very much would like to get people to a court. —George Bush, U.S. President, 7th May 2006
Seems everyone wants Guantánamo closed these days. And yet it remains…
May 28th, 2006 at 19:59
Well I don’t want it closed. Not that I agree with the Iraq Invasion, as I have never been in agreement with that,
However, if these people in The Guatanamo Detention Centre are terrorists or insurgents, keep them there.
Where else would you put them? Not in my backyard.
Pres. W. Bush is so concerned with Home Security, it seems to me that it would be a step backwards to release these terrorists.
Do you want them in your state or for that matter country?
I don’t want them in mine which is Canada.
I guess most of you are too young to remember the Missile Crisis in the early sixties, when Missiles were pointed towards the U.S.A.
President Kennedy, gave Castro an ultimatum to remove them or he would.
I worked in Investments at that time, and let me tell you, the market was very jittery that day. They removed them at the last minute, which incidently, had been installed by the Russians for Castro.
In case there are some who don’t realize how close Guantanamo Bay is to the U.S.A. it is only 90 miles through shark infested waters.