Amnesty International took this opportunity to renew calls for more "fair trials for all Guantanamo detainees":
"We cannot talk about justice, for both detainees and the survivors of the attacks of which some are accused, without fair criminal trials. The Guantà ¡namo shadow over the Obama administration can begin to be lifted only if all those detained there receive fair trials in civilian courts or are immediately released," said Rob Freer of Amnesty International....
..."US politicians who are opposed to trials in federal courts for Guantà ¡namo detainees have chosen to ignore the conviction and are arguing that Ahmed Ghailani's acquittal on the other charges demonstrates that civilian criminal trials are inappropriate," said Rob Freer.
"If the only procedure that critics of ordinary criminal trials would accept is one that guarantees convictions regardless of the evidence, then what has been demonstrated is a gross failure on their part to commit to the most basic principles of fairness..."
However, as Amnesty International noted, no one has yet to be held accountable for the "unlawful treatment" that was inflicted upon Ghailani, "including the crime under international law of enforced disappearance during his two years in secret CIA custody."
The Obama Department of Justice (DOJ) and Attorney General Eric J. Holder have refused to open up investigations and prosecutions that would hold those responsible for torture or abuse of detainees accountable. Recently, the DOJ refused to prosecute anyone for the destruction of tapes that had evidence of CIA torture.
That along with former President George W. Bush's "Decision Points" book tour, which has involved him boasting about committing waterboarding, a war crime, demonstrates the situation at hand is as follows:
The Obama Administration has effectively decriminalized waterboarding, torture, or war crimes by refusing to have the Department of Justice investigate or prosecute former Bush Administration officials who now boast openly about their involvement in committing war crimes. Advocacy groups have tried to have the lawyers involved in creating legal justification for torture disbarred but, given the lack of interest in following the country's obligation under international law to investigate and prosecute torture or war crimes, the groups have been unsuccessful (perhaps, having their attempt to defend the rule of law labeled "left wing" by publications like the New York Times has something to do with their lack of success).
Guantanamo hasn't been closed and there is no evidence that it will be by the time President Obama begins his campaign for re-election. And, one can bet that when he is running there will be no movement on shutting down the prison, which is a blight on American democracy. He's "No Drama Obama," right?
Republicans will hoot and holler about how terrorists don't deserve to enjoy the rights and liberties that Americans get to enjoy. Oh, and Bush will get a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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