opa-opines.net

President Obama said, in January, that he intends to close Gitmo within the next year, but has not detailed what he intends to do with the prisoners. That is not surprising because the Bush administration, other than using them as intelligence sources, was unable to decide what to do with these people 4 to 6 years after capturing them.

Who are these detainees? How “dangerous are they? What crimes did they commit? Does their native country wish them returned? The news media have not given us a clear report on the subject, and there is much debate. Some politicians demand that the captives “not set foot on American soil”. Federal courts can be exported to Guantanamo if we desire. If we have cases against the prisoners, why not try them where they are and dispose of them within the year?

Many on the political left are championing the legal rights that our Constitution grants to everyone, citizen or not. They suggest that an estimated 50 to 100 prisoners may need to be released because the evidence obtained against them was collected during torture. That thought is shortsighted. If these 50 to 100 people were arrested because of their terrorist connections, prosecute them based upon those connections. Surely we can collect enough of that evidence to convict these “terrorists” of felony crimes.

Some commentators have suggested that we not apply our legal system of human rights to those imprisoned at Gitmo. Some say that protecting ourselves trumps our legal system and that our Constitutional principles do not apply in times of threat or crisis. I say that crises is when our principles are best tested.

Compromising our Constitutional principles and national values may come at a very high price. Our founders knew, from experience, the evils of unprotected rights. These are the very rights that “the People” insisted be guaranteed in the Constitution before creating the United States. That is why the “bill of rights” is the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

I can understand that many people fear the prisoners at Gitmo. I can understand that many people want a form of revenge for the “crimes” these prisoners may have committed. I can understand that no politician wants terrorists incarcerated in their district or state, but I have yet to hear a constructive suggestion concerning the location, or procedures they suggest. It is all “not in my backyard”. Someone needs to yield on this subject.

If anyone else has suggestions, disagreements, or opinions, please comment on this blog. We will need an acceptable solution.