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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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9

Obama to Let Bagram Prisoners Challenge Detention

Representatives would amass evidence, witnesses for detainees

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(Newser) – The White House plans to give some 600 detainees at a US-run prison in Kabul greater power to dispute their custody, the New York Times reports. After an expected rubber stamp from Congress, the Obama administration will send representatives to Bagram Air Base to amass evidence and witnesses for detainees. Some have been there for 6 years and, unlike Guantanamo Bay prisoners, have had few legal rights.

President Obama is making the move as part of an effort to separate his policies from more severe Bush-era tactics, and respect a federal judge's ruling that some Bagram detainees deserve the chance to challenge their incarceration. Pentagon officials say it would also help separate extremists from more moderate prisoners. But human rights groups, well aware of Bagram's deadly reputation, say the policy is all talk unless people follow through and detainees take advantage of their newfound rights.

Abdullah Hermat, 38, from Mazar, was in Guantanamo Bay prison for 7 years, and is seen here in February 4, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Abdullah Hermat, 38, from Mazar, was in Guantanamo Bay prison for 7 years, and is seen here in February 4, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan.   (Getty Images)
Padshah, 38, formally known as Sayed Amir, from Jalalabad was in Guantanamo Bay prison for 5 years, and is pictured here on January 31, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Padshah, 38, formally known as Sayed Amir, from Jalalabad was in Guantanamo Bay prison for 5 years, and is pictured here on January 31, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan.   (Getty Images)
U.S. President Barack Obama points to a member of Congress while arriving to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress at the U.S. Capitol September 9, 2009 in Washington, DC.
U.S. President Barack Obama points to a member of Congress while arriving to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress at the U.S. Capitol September 9, 2009 in Washington, DC.   (Getty Images)
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I think the procedures are just words on pieces of paper unless someone is there to ensure they’re being followed and the detainee has the ability to understand them and avail themselves of them. - Tina Foster, the executive director of the International Justice Network

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9 comments
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LibertyMan
Sep 12, 09 9:15 PM CDT
This should be worth another drop of say 4-5 points in the polls for Obama. He sure isn't helping the Dems cause as we cruise into the mid-terms, keeping in mind that a majority of both republicans and democrat voters favor a tougher policy for these terrorist scum. Hell, Larry Sabato says the Dems are going to lose 23-64 seats in the House even before this latest bone to the far left. If this keeps up, double down baby! Republican majority in the Senate, 80 new GOP seats in the House, and the GOP sweeps all the open Statehouse Slots for Gov. It is 1994 all over again. Thanks Bill Clinton, I mean Obama! Reply
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UrUndertaker
Sep 12, 09 9:40 PM CDT
For the sake of causing you to think, if that is indeed possible it's a stretch so grab some Tylenol. Try and take into consideration that some, perhaps many of these me incarcerated within these prisons are indeed innocent of all charges. I was there, I saw how they "rounded up" the so called enemy insurgents Much of the time, Iraqui troops would hold a so called raid (to make brownie points with the American brass) in a Market Square, they would grab anything fitting the description of brown skin, wearing a turban....that was the only requirement since to the US if they are wearing a turban they must be an enemy...I saw this chit first hand at the beginning, I know what they did and I know many of these guys were there doing the shopping since it was much to dangerous to allow the wife and kids to go to market...You have some locked away who were teens, young teens that simply were walking or even standing in what you would consider your front yard talking to a friend, next thing you know they rounded you up at the point of an AK47...and yea, that was SOP over there, standard operating proceedure and here you go automatically pronouncing people guilty and all the hell many of them did was attempt to purchase food at the local market square..True, a very few are enemy combatants but they are NOT the ones under consideration for what the article even talks about. Wash your eyes out, try and figure out just because someone is NOT white doesn't make them a damn terrorist. Grow the fck up and get over yourself because your racist streak is showing and your on the same level with your God GW Bush
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Doctor_Zaius
Sep 12, 09 9:40 PM CDT
There are no easy answers to cleaning up the myriad of Bush's fuck-ups. By leaving a group of 600 people locked up regardless of whether or not they are guilty of anything only creates more hard-liners who are willing to strap a bomb to their asses or fly a plane into a building. This seems reasonable that somehow, someone is going to separate the wheat from the chaff. It also goes without saying that the Right-Wingers will try to make political hay out of it. Reply
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Robert_Dada
Sep 12, 09 10:47 PM CDT
Create an 'enemy' where none really exists, and you can lead the masses like sheep. Keep them afraid and keep them consuming: that was the strategy of Bush/Cheney.
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UrUndertaker
Sep 12, 09 11:03 PM CDT
Hey Doctor Z and the rest you guys. Try and forgive my typos as well as my anger. I just see a post that shows so much arrogance and it ticks me off to no end. Someone comes in with a name like they are the first and lst thing patriotic in the country and post a bit of trash like they know all the answers and to many of my brothers in arms have died over a freaking lie and it tears me up guys. A good half the folks that got locked away in these prisons were happy as hell with American troops at the beginning but it didn't take long after husbands, sons, boyfriends being tossed into prisons the entire population were more afraid of Americans than they had been the Iraqi Secret Police and I am dead serious about that...We took people who would have been great neighbors and friends and turned them into the largest group of American haters on the planet and then some fool comes in spouting off trash about it was "just like Bill Clinton". I got news for that guy, 911 did NOT happen on Clintons watch, it was GW Bush who left our tails hanging out for attack AFTER being warned multiple times he was asleep at the wheel just like he was when Katrina tore apart Louisiana but baby the Republicans sure as hell don't want to talk truth about any of that and it grows real old to see so called loyal Americans that damn blind and stupid. Again I apologize but I tend to loose my cool in the face of blatant lies and total self induced ignorance
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