The US has stopped running its global network of secret prisons, CIA director Leon Panetta has announced.
“CIA no longer operates detention facilities or black sites,” Mr Panetta said in a letter to staff. Remaining sites would be decommissioned, he said. The “black sites” were used to detain terrorism suspects, some of whom were subjected to interrogation methods described by many as torture.
President Obama vowed to shut down the facilities shortly after taking office.
The Bush administration allowed the CIA to operate secret prisons on the territory of allied countries in Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.
During his first week as president, Mr Obama ordered the closure of the black sites, as well as the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, as part of an overhaul of US detainee policy.
Wow! A return to American values!
THAT’S change I can believe in.
Definitely overdue.. Torturing a suspected terrorist who’s willing to die and bone his 72 virgins is not worth potentially saving American lives.
I can’t wait to see how the Haters demonize Obama for this.
Darth Cheney will not be happy.
# 1 Greg Allen said, “Wow! A return to American values! THAT’S change I can believe in.”
Really?
“For the first time, the Obama Administration’s brief contends that government agencies cannot be sued for wiretapping American citizens even if there was intentional violation of US law.”
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_Administration_quietly_expands_Bushs_legal_0407.html
I saw that yesterday, Paddy. Extremely disappointing.
The prisons were secret. Which means they would deny they existed. So they could announce that they’ve closed them all – but keep some open – but it’s a secret.
Don’t tell anyone.
A follow-up comment:
Is this like the Gitmo announcement: they’ve closed it, but not really, they have to study the problem for a year because it’s a lot more complicated then us simple folk can understand?
Paddy-O,
No I don’t like that.
But, unlike Republicans, we Dems don’t feel the need to defend EACH AND EVERY THING our president does.
BTW, did you denounce Bush’s illegal wiretapping at the time?
# 9 Greg Allen said, “we Dems don’t feel the need to defend EACH AND EVERY THING our president does.”
Right. How would you defend him violating the constitution? I can see why you wouldn’t want to defend that… ROFL!
chuck,
I can give Obama some slack on taking this slow. Bush made a helluva mess and it isn’t an easy fix. How can courts possibly use any evidence acquired by torture? It all has reasonable doubt. But you don’t just want to let them go, either.
Bush and the conservatives didn’t just ruin our financial system they ruined our justice system, too!
I love the Arab saying:
“A fool rolled a boulder in the well and a whole village can’t figure-out how to get it out.”
(surely more pithy in Arabic.)
Bush and the conservatives’ foolish disasters are so profound, it’s a challenge even for a brilliant leader like Obama.
# 11 Greg Allen said, “I can give Obama some slack on taking this slow. Bush made a helluva mess and it isn’t an easy fix.”
Is that why Obama is arguing that people detained in Afghanistan shouldn’t be able to challenge their detention in a court of law?
ROFLMAO!
>> Paddy-O said, on April 10th, 2009 at 7:41 am
>> Right. How would you defend him violating the constitution? I can see why you wouldn’t want to defend that… ROFL!
I DON’T. Did you read my post?
SO, are you admitting now that Bush violated the constitution with the illegal wire tapping? That would be refreshing, if way too late.
You conservatives were in a position to stop Bush from crapping on our founding fathers but you cheered him along the whole way.
# 13 Greg Allen said, “SO, are you admitting now that Bush violated the constitution with the illegal wire tapping?”
Absolutely, as I’ve said several times AND called for his impeachment over it AND gave $ to Pelosi campaign & Dems to help take over the congress. I know you wanted Bush nailed for it.
It’d be refreshing to see a neolib apply the same standard to everyone regardless of party affiliation…
I’ll wait…
#15, I’m using it as a derogatory term for those on the left who are blinded by partisanship to the exclusion of logic.
So, if you would answer a question:
Do you think a President should be impeached for willfully violating the constitution? Yes, or no?
Damn Greg. Still coming here to get your ass kicked? I’m glad Paddy stuck around to do the deed.
Good luck trying to reason with Paddy 0’Troll, Greg. And I’d take his assertions about who he supported with a grain of salt. Pollsters are discovering it’s getting harder and harder to find people who actually admit to voting for Bush.
I’m sure there’s a lot of former Bush worshipers out there who now deny ever supporting him. Cowards.
#18 I understand why you can’t answer my question. LOL!
Just killed any credibility you had left though…
#17,
LOL, you are like that guy in that song;)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fm4iU0yx9GY
#20,
Wait you destroyed the credibility of a guy who has repeatedly stated “I can’t wait until a bunch of republican gun nuts hole up in a church after a gun fight with the ATF and burn them selves alive”..
Oh noes! My credibility is gone!
#22 Answer the question.
OK, Paddy I give you credit for being the EXTREMELY RARE conservative who spoke up against Bush, at the time of his crimes. Good for you.
NONE of my conservative friends spoke against Bush at the time. Just the opposite, they cheered him along, every step of the way, as he betrayed not just American values but their own conservative values.
The same goes for all the rightwing talk radio guys I listen to.
We Dems were totally shut out of the political process but the Republicans were in a position to defend the constitution.
But they didn’t step up.
But not you. Kudos.
I will definitely try NOT to be like a typical conservative. I will criticize Obama when he deserves it. So far, I don’t like this telcom immunity vote and I have grave concerns about his escalation in Afghanistan.
But I don’t expect my president to be perfect and I fully expect Obama to make mistakes.
A few mistakes is very different than the massive incompetency, criminality, treasonism, jingoism, demagoguery, war-profiteering and cynicism of the Bush administration.
Which the conservatives absolutely LOVED.
Except you. Good for you.
#5 Thanks for bringing that up. I was expecting to see John blog about that by now. That is not what I wanted to see him do when I voted for Obama.
In the end they are all politicians and 90% of what they promise in the campaign is just BS. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss when it comes to respecting the Constitution.
#7 Chuck… good point. The secret to success is sincerity — once you can fake that, you’ve got it made. 🙂
#24 Answer the question.
#24,
Yes! Absolutely! Impeach the dirty bastard!
Ok, so how do we get that started? Do you want me to file the articles of impeachment, or do you have it covered?
Whoops, last post was directed at Paddy-o
ahahahahahaha bullshit.
big deal, so theyve outsourced, its still the same thing.
# 28 GregA said, “Yes! Absolutely! Impeach the dirty bastard! Ok, so how do we get that started?”
First, stop supporting Obama in this blog and others you may be posting on. After that, I will see if you are serious and will instruct you further…
#30,
I am a Troll as well, and I make no apology for that. I am hoping to put paddy-o in touch with his total powerlessness, and inability to have any effect on the process. I think their pain is funny. Lets call it schadenfreud.
For me, when I see Obama, it is not about Obama. I watch the obvious anguish of the right wing at this time, and I am gonna savor every last moment of it. Their pain makes me happy;)
I mean, here they are three months in and they want to impeach. I’d like Paddy-o and JH to tell us the crime that Obama has committed. I mean this thing they are so upset about is a legal brief. LOL!
And the joy I get in watching all these right wingers become card carrying ACLU civil libertarians!
I like Obama, because of his bipartisan success, he has everyone agreeing:):):) Warrantless wiretapping sucks.
Thats change I can beleive in, and not everything is as it seems:)