[Bolaleman]

On Nov 8, 2:21*pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 15:01:59 -0800 (PST), Bolaleman

wrote:
Thanks to Barack Obama, suddenly it may be cool to be an American
again!
For longtime U.S. expatriates someone far more accustomed to being
targeted over unpopular policies, for having my very Americanness
publicly assailed *it feels like an extraordinary turnabout. Like a
long journey over a very bumpy road has abruptly come to an end.
Overnight, Americans did something their harshest critics in Europe
have yet to do: elect a person of color as head of state and commander
in chief. That gives U.S. citizens some bragging rights, even if a lot
of us would just as soon eschew hubris and embrace humility.

I understand this sentiment - and you didn't even mention a
forthcoming end to *the sense of national shame at being associated
with state-sponsored torture, clandestine export of torture sites,
pre-emptive declarations of war for unfounded reasons, sub contracting
a legitimate drive to hunt down a terrorist organizer to *mercenaries,
an effort to provide social disincentives to people who object to
government policies (krystallnacht II in a way) * and on, and on.

Brian W

What you call "state-sponsored torture" was analyzed a few months ago
by The Economist. There, an article published in March 29, 2008
addresses America's image crisis. The author suggests some ways the
U.S. can improve its reputation:

-Play a more active role in combating global warming
-Deal with the mess over Guantanamo Bay
-Extend Mr. Bush's attempt to deal with AIDS in Africa (one of his few
highlights in foreign politics)

[Larry]

Bolaleman wrote in news:2df40b70-9a75-43e0-8919-
:

-Play a more active role in combating global warming


Nasa's found a way to regulate the thermonuclear reactions on the sun?!

[Brian Whatcott]

On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:34:15 -0800 (PST), Bolaleman
wrote:


What you call "state-sponsored torture" was analyzed a few months ago...

Am I alone in thinking that half-drowning suspects, leaving them naked
in cold weather - putting them in metal boxes in Summer tropical
weather, procuring prolongued sleep deprivation, to name just the
first four reported abuses that came to mind, is not to be called
'torture"?
Even the Nazis allowed (admittedly patchy) Red Cross prisoner
visitations, in WW11

BrianW

[Bolaleman]

On Nov 16, 9:52*pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:
On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:34:15 -0800 (PST), Bolaleman

wrote:

What you call "state-sponsored torture" was analyzed a few months ago...

Am I alone in thinking that half-drowning suspects, leaving them naked
in cold weather - putting them in metal boxes in Summer tropical
weather, procuring prolongued sleep deprivation, to name just the
first four reported abuses that came to mind, * * is not to be called
'torture"?
*Even the Nazis allowed (admittedly patchy) Red Cross prisoner
visitations, in WW11

BrianW

I think you are absolutely right!

[Bolaleman]

On Nov 22, 5:29*pm, Bolaleman wrote:
On Nov 16, 9:52*pm, Brian Whatcott wrote:

On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:34:15 -0800 (PST), Bolaleman

wrote:

What you call "state-sponsored torture" was analyzed a few months ago....

Am I alone in thinking that half-drowning suspects, leaving them naked
in cold weather - putting them in metal boxes in Summer tropical
weather, procuring prolongued sleep deprivation, to name just the
first four reported abuses that came to mind, * * is not to be called
'torture"?
*Even the Nazis allowed (admittedly patchy) Red Cross prisoner
visitations, in WW11

BrianW

I think you are absolutely right!

Here are some facts about Guantanamo and Obama's position on its
detention operation.

- Bush administration officials repeatedly said they wanted to close
the controversial prison but never advanced a plan to do so. They
concluded this year closure would require legislation that was too
difficult to negotiate in a heated election season.

- Obama said he will close Guantanamo and that U.S. civilian courts
and the traditional military courts-martial system can handle detainee
trials, rather than the separate system set up by President George W.
Bush and Congress.

- Obama on Sunday said: "I have said repeatedly that I intend to close
Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly
that America doesn't torture, and I'm going to make sure that we don't
torture."

- The detention camp was set up to hold foreign terrorism suspects
captured after U.S.-led forces invaded Afghanistan to root out al
Qaeda and its Taliban protectors in response to the attacks of Sept.
11, 2001, that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and
Pennsylvania.

- The United States holds about 255 prisoners at Guantanamo and has
released or transferred to other governments about 500 other suspects
previously held there.

- The Pentagon plans to try as many as 80 prisoners but only two have
been tried so far. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in six
pending cases, including those of five men accused of plotting the
Sept. 11 attacks and one accused of masterminding the bombing that
killed 17 U.S. sailors aboard the warship USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.

Source: FACTBOX-Facts about the Guantanamo prison camp (from Reuters)
Thu Nov 20, 2008 1:32pm EST
(Reporting by Jane Sutton in Miami and Donna Smith in Washington;
Editing by Vicki Allen)
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCan.../idUSN20413922