GITMO: It Ain't So Easy

Many politicians and citizens in the country and around the world are waiting to see what President Obama decides to do with Guantanamo. I know for the last couple of years, my school's Amnesty International club, lead by one of my liberal colleagues, has been quite vocal in its opposition towards the detention and "torture" of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. But, there were times I wanted to ask my colleague what he and his apprentices proposed to do with the prisoners, especially in light of how many countries have refused to accept back their own nationals. (I'm sure no one in the group has ever really thought that deeply about the issue.)

Our lovely MSM, in its mad push to get Obama elected president, voiced their hopes in the closing of the detention center, but rarely brought up the difficult issue of what to do with the prisoners. Under Bush's watch, the MSM and others seemed to only harshly criticize Bush, bringing up mostly the "crimes" of not extending Constitutional rights to the prisoners, yet rarely addressing the problem of what to do with the prisoners once Gitmo were closed.

Now, the MSM seem to be siding with Poor Barack's agonizingly difficult decision. USAToday yesterday published an article that reported on some European nations not being too quick to take these prisoners. (Emphasis added.)

Europe Slow To Offer New Home
To Gitmo Inmates

DUBLIN (AP) — Across Europe, President Barack Obama's decision to shut the Guantanamo Bay prison has raised an awkward question: Which EU states that railed against the camp will offer new lives to released prisoners?

The U.S. Defense Department says about 50 of the 245 prisoners awaiting freedom cannot go home again on security or political grounds, raising the need to find an alternative place to send them. But European Union members long critical of Guantanamo shied away Friday from any firm commitments to help.

Ireland has joined Portugal, France, Germany and Switzerland in saying it probably would participate in an EU-organized plan that might take shape at a summit of foreign ministers Monday in Brussels.

But it already appears likely that Europe will leave some of Guantanamo's inmates in limbo behind a policy of: No terrorists please.

...

Diplomatic and security officials across Europe acknowledge that in the Obama era their nations risk exposure of double standards — complaining of American injustice, but presuming that ex-Guantanamo prisoners are too hot to handle themselves. Most nations in the 27-country bloc remain in the position of waiting for an EU request that they might prefer never comes.

Italy, whose conservative government long supported former President George W. Bush's "war on terror," is among those skeptical that Europe will easily embrace fugitives from Azerbaijan, Algeria, Afghanistan, Chad, China, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

"Here we have the first example of how this new Obama politics will demand more of Europe — not less — than Bush's so-called unilateralism," said Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who declined to add Italy to the list of willing destinations for ex-Guantanamo inmates. "America will probably ask some European countries to take in these people, who will no longer be at Guantanamo but won't be free to wander the streets of New York."

Switzerland, which has made positive public comments about an EU-wide initiative, now cautions that such a decision is really up to authorities within its individual cantons. And those local authorities are sounding cool on the idea.

Karin Keller-Suter, vice president of the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors, said its members "would expect a thorough security examination" before any ex-Guantanamo prisoners win admission to Switzerland.

In France, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner mirrored the Irish line that the EU must lead the way. He said France would cooperate in principle — but would adopt a "case by case" approach to sheltering ex-inmates.

A few European nations say, bluntly, that the United States created the Guantanamo problem itself and should bear the consequences on its own, too.

"I've spent most of my waking hours the last three years in this post cleaning up after the U.S.," said Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom, who argued that Sweden had already made a home for thousands of Iraqi refugees since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003. "I think that the U.S. perhaps should start to do some cleaning on its own before asking for help from others."

Hmmmm ... looks like another case of "damned if you do and damned if you don't." Switzerland and Sweden in particular seem to come across as self-righteous hypocrits. It will, indeed, be interesting to see how this issue will play out.

Will Obama wind up having to allow the continuation of Gitmo as is, due to spineless countries that refuse to step up to the plate, or will he force the detainees on the countries, saying "you bitched about it -- now put up and shut up." It will also be interesting to see how the press and the Democrats side with or attack Obama ... or, just plain cover for him.