UK Att'y Gen'l: Guantanamo Still Undermines War Against Terror

"Guantanamo 'Changes Too Little, Too Late,'" by Jane Sutton - Reuters (Miami), 12 February 2007

MIAMI (Reuters) - New U.S. rules for war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo fail to correct fundamental flaws that are undermining Western efforts to defeat global terrorism, the government's top lawyer said on Monday.

"The changes made are too little and too late," Lord Goldsmith, attorney general and a longtime critic of the Guantanamo detention operation, told a meeting of the American Bar Association in Miami.

The U.S. Congress revised the tribunal system to try foreign suspected terrorists at Guantanamo last year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the original system created by U.S. President George W. Bush.

Goldsmith said he welcomed some of the changes, such as the decision not to use secret evidence that would not be shown to the accused, but that they did not go far enough to ensure fair trials.

Guantanamo remains a powerful symbol of injustice that not only hurts the United States' image but undermines international efforts to win the ideological war against global extremism, Goldsmith said....

The Miami Herald has printed a transcript of Lord Goldsmith's remarks:

"Transcript: Lord Goldsmith to ABA" - the Miami Herald, 12 February 2007

...my view of the original Military Commissions for those detained at Guantánamo Bay are well known. Charged with my Prime Minister with considering whether they provided appropriate and sufficient guarantees of a fair trial I considered the rules and regulations in detail over a period of months in the summer and fall of 2003. My clear conclusion was that the Military Commissions did not provide such guarantees. I advised that we should not allow our citizens to stand trial in such circumstances and insisted that they be returned to the UK -- which ultimately they were.

I am aware of the changes that have now been made, following the Military Commissions Act signed into law late last year. I welcome some of the changes made -- such as the removal of the possibility that detainees would be convicted on the basis of evidence heard in secret and that they had not seen or had a chance to contradict; and the amendments made in Senate to exclude evidence obtained by torture -- though there remain some definitional questions of importance. But I am aware of criticisms that remain: of a law which treats aliens in a different way from American citizens; that still allows coerced evidence to be used in certain cases; that excludes the application of habeas corpus. And others. Some -- perhaps all of these -- will be the subject of further courtchallenges.

But, it would be misleading if I did not tell you my own view. I have previously stated my view that Guantánamo Bay is unacceptable and should close; it is a symbol of injustice that the long tradition of American justice and liberty ought to see removed at the earliest moment. I have not changed my view. The changes made are too little and too late. There remain fundamental problems with this system of detention. And the symbol remains.

In saying this, I am conscious that some will say that this is not for an outsider to say. That this is America's decision. I have increasingly been of the view that this is not so. I should explain why.

The struggle against global extremism and terrorism is one that ultimately we will not win by conventional means alone. We increasingly recognize in the United Kingdom that we will only win in the end if we can win the battle for ideas and values. We need to win this struggle at the level of values as much as force. In a major speech given in Los Angeles at last summer, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that to win the war of values we must show that ''our values are stronger, better and more just, more fair than the alternative'' and that ``we are even handed, fair and just in our application of those values to the world.''

We have to show, against an al Qaeda narrative that all that the West does is designed to oppress Muslims, our values are actually those of justice, tough and fearless but fair, and of equality; of the democratic way of life; of the rule of law and of freedom. The presence of Guantánamo makes it so much more difficult to do this. For all of us....

Comments

[forced sex pics]

Try flitronn.
Rape [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape] Rape [/url] [link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape] Rape [/link]
real rape porn [url=http://rape-videos.ql.st/] real rape porn [/url] [link http://rape-videos.ql.st/] real rape porn [/link]
sexual violence [url=http://rape-sex.ql.st/] sexual violence [/url] [link http://rape-sex.ql.st/] sexual violence [/link]
sexual assault photos [url=http://rape-sex.ql.st/] sexual assault photos [/url] [link http://rape-sex.ql.st/] sexual assault photos [/link]
adult incest pictures [url=http://family.enic.nl/] adult incest pictures [/url] [link http://family.enic.nl/] adult incest pictures [/link]
raped women [url=http://rape-videos.ql.st/] raped women [/url] [link http://rape-videos.ql.st/] raped women [/link]

Incest [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incest] Incest [/url] [link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incest] Incest [/link]

[marriah cary]

Oooh, my god! The best stuff!
http://mary88.fromru.su/pagen=24.html
marriah cary [url=http://mary88.fromru.su/pagen=24.html]marriah cary[/url]

[light_receipes]

cooking equiptment
cooking with paula deen
cooking with stevia
cooking brocoli
fendi wallet zucchino
rolf wallet
lacoste nylon wallet
mot plastic wallet
man stretch denim jeans

[light_receipes]

cooking equiptment
cooking with paula deen
cooking with stevia
cooking brocoli
fendi wallet zucchino
rolf wallet
lacoste nylon wallet
mot plastic wallet
man stretch denim jeans

[binladen777.t35.com]

bin laden

[jyhf]

stacker diet pill

[Amy Reid]

Hello, my name is Alfred, i'm a newbie here. I really do like your forum and really interested in things you discuss here, also would like to enter your community, hope it is possible:-) Cya around, best regards, Alfred!
Amy Reid [url=http://digg.com/world_news/Amy_Reid_Krystal_Steal_Movies]Amy Reid[/url] Krystal Steal [url=http://digg.com/world_news/Amy_Reid_Krystal_Steal_Movies]Krystal Steal[/url] Sky Lopez [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran]Sky Lopez[/url] Crissy Moran [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran]Crissy Moran[/url] Ava Devine [url=http://digg.com/movies/Ava_Devine_Jill_Kelly_Movies]Ava Devine[/url] Jill Kelly [url=http://digg.com/movies/Ava_Devine_Jill_Kelly_Movies]Jill Kelly[/url]

[Mindy Vega]

Hello fellows Sirs, I'm very sorry for my post
Mindy Vega [url=http://digg.com/movies/Mindy_Vega_Taylor_Rain]Mindy Vega[/url] Taylor Rain [url=http://digg.com/movies/Mindy_Vega_Taylor_Rain]Taylor Rain[/url] Asia Carrera [url=http://digg.com/movies/Asia_Carrera_Sunny_Lane_Catalina_Cruz_Abby_Winters_movies]Asia Carrera[/url] Sunny Lane [url=http://digg.com/movies/Asia_Carrera_Sunny_Lane_Catalina_Cruz_Abby_Winters_movies]Sunny Lane[/url] Catalina Cruz [url=http://digg.com/movies/Asia_Carrera_Sunny_Lane_Catalina_Cruz_Abby_Winters_movies]Catalina Cruz[/url] Abby Winters [url=http://digg.com/movies/Asia_Carrera_Sunny_Lane_Catalina_Cruz_Abby_Winters_movies]Abby Winters[/url]

[Goran]

non prescription phentremine [url=http://phentermine.beta-google.com/non-prescription-phentremine.html]non prescription phentremine[/url] newegg.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/neweggcom.html]newegg.com[/url] launch.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/launchcom.html]launch.com[/url] sublimedirectory.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/sublimedirectorycom.html]sublimedirectory.com[/url] dewalt.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/dewaltcom.html]dewalt.com[/url] verison.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/verisoncom.html]verison.com[/url] wachovia.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/wachoviacom.html]wachovia.com[/url] nickjr.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/nickjrcom.html]nickjr.com[/url] phamacy tech [url=http://pharmacy.beta-google.com/phamacy-tech.html]phamacy tech[/url] kraftfoods.com [url=http://tibetanassociation.netfirms.com/kraftfoodscom.html]kraftfoods.com[/url]

[paris]

>

[porn]

>

[Give Me Pink]

Hello everyone. Nice to meet you here ;-) interesting article - i'll put it in bookmarks, i guess will use it any day.
Erica Campbell [url=http://digg.com/movies/Erica_Campbell_Give_me_pink]Erica Campbell[/url] Give Me Pink [url=http://digg.com/movies/Erica_Campbell_Give_me_pink]Give Me Pink[/url] Sky Lopez [url=http://digg.com/movies/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran_Ava_Devine_Raven_Riley_Jill_Kelly]Sky Lopez[/url] Crissy Moran [url=http://digg.com/movies/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran_Ava_Devine_Raven_Riley_Jill_Kelly]Crissy Moran[/url] Ava Devine [url=http://digg.com/movies/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran_Ava_Devine_Raven_Riley_Jill_Kelly]Ava Devine[/url] Raven Riley [url=http://digg.com/movies/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran_Ava_Devine_Raven_Riley_Jill_Kelly]Raven Riley[/url] Jill Kelly [url=http://digg.com/movies/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran_Ava_Devine_Raven_Riley_Jill_Kelly]Jill Kelly[/url]

[Sky Lopez]

Hello guys, i guess everyone saw that incredible movie, and i believe it's not a fake!
Briana Banks [url=http://digg.com/movies/Briana_Banks_Aria_Giovanni_Movies]Briana Banks[/url] Aria Giovanni [url=http://digg.com/movies/Briana_Banks_Aria_Giovanni_Movies]Aria Giovanni[/url] Jenna Haze [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Jenna_Haze_Nikki_Nova_Movies]Jenna Haze[/url] Nikki Nova [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Jenna_Haze_Nikki_Nova_Movies]Nikki Nova[/url] Amy Reid [url=http://digg.com/world_news/Amy_Reid_Krystal_Steal_Movies]Amy Reid[/url] Krystal Steal [url=http://digg.com/world_news/Amy_Reid_Krystal_Steal_Movies]Krystal Steal[/url] Sky Lopez [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran]Sky Lopez[/url] Crissy Moran [url=http://digg.com/videos/people/Sky_Lopez_Crissy_Moran]Crissy Moran[/url]

[hello]

hello, i'm spamilka

[Jennifer]

Gear up for grub with a tripleheader of pigskin, including a meeting of brothers in Dallas. Everybody knows it's been a rough year for her, but find out who else had issues

[scutsunsota]

You can do it always with pfizer viagra
pfizer viagra (id.99586)
connecticut viagra 100mg pfizer

[SEX18]

sex dance

[ohuwqclsd oxpz]

cbzreylah sfwqyozlv qtjvoi eygktald xmujyaf sfaenku prwqtys

[DekInvenoHunk]

I think that results on http://bnetsearch.com/ it is better than on other web search engines. And what you think of it?

[Youporn porntube]

Well I find myself at the 5th entry in my series of websites that are amazing yet do not have the web 2.0 aesthetic. I like many other designers have fallen to the addictive properties of http://cm.loading-dvd.com/blog/youporn-porntube/ which has allowed me to find such an amazing set of sites and share them here with you.

[GenerateMLMLeads]

Excellent info, I know that everyone's biggest challenge is finding "business builders & leaders" My videos show you how... http://www.sponsoringschool.com

[Hot Webcam Swinger Girls and Adult Store]

this is so good.

[gas powered scooters]

You will see rock gas powered scooters
http://www.world66.com/member/gas_powered_scoote

[cheap ed hardy]

You will see rock gas powered scooters

[646-046]

You will see rock gas powered scooters