Guantanamo Detainee Rights?

Recently, the supreme court ruled to allow Al Qaeda prisoners in Guantanamo Bay the right to refute their imprisonment in public court. Currently, US officials have the power to imprison non-us citizens due to suspicion of terrorism, or suspected ties to terrorist cells.

The judiciary branch of the government exists to keep the executive and legislative branches in order. It is what makes our constitution so great: checks and balances- that way when the executive branch gets our of order, the other two branches can get them back on track and in line with the constitution.

That being said, let's educate ourselves or at least have a refresher on US law; specifically what is called "habeas corpus." Wikipedia defines it as follows: "Is the name of a legal action, or writ, through which a person can seek relief from unlawful detention of himself or another person. The writ of habeas corpus has historically been an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action."

This is a right given to US citizens. This right is not given to non-US citizens held in US prisons.

Specifically, Guantanamo prisoners were denied this right. The apparent purpose of this prison is to detain, question and eventually prosecute Al Qaeda and other terrorist organization members in order preserve homeland security. While trying to protect our own nation from terrorism, the end result, is the loss of the very values that are supposedly being defended by the war on terror. This really should be a human right and not a privilege given only to US citizens. It gives far too much power to a country to be able to imprison people based solely on suspicion.

Only a very narrow minded and selfish person would be willing to imprison people who have not been proven guilty in order to protect themselves. That goes against the same principles that we ourselves enjoy. ie- innocent until proven guilty. Guantanamo prisoners were held guilty until proven innocent- many detainees are held for years and are never proven to have any ties to terrorism.

According the US official reports:

• As of November 17, 2006 there were about 430 detainees in Guantanamo
• Only 10 or 430 had been charged with any crime
  
• 55% of detainees are found to have never committed any hostile acts against the US or its allies.
• 40% – percent of detainees who have no definitive connection with Al Qaeda
• 18% – percent of detainees who have no definitive connection with Al Qaeda or Taliban
• 86% – percent of detainees were not captured on the battlefield, but were captured and bought by Pakistan or the Northern Alliance and turned over to United States custody

President Bush is greatly apposed to the Supreme Court ruling and has publicly rebuked their decision. While speaking on the matter, he appeared to be highly distraught over the matter. Let's be honest here- our government is not perfect, far from it. What gives us the right to remove all rights (through imprisonment) of someone merely based on suspicious activity? There is no limitation on time of imprisonment for detainees not proven innocent. This power is incredibly dangerous and must not be given to any country.

Immigration: Our Future as a Nation

It is so often that issues become so popular among news agencies only to quickly die off. Lately, it has been the Democratic Primary- but before that was a topic that effects millions of Americans: Immigration. Our nation is currently faced with several crises: The housing market, the middle eastern threat, Al-Qaeda and the declining value of the dollar in the global market. The crisis that is rarely viewed as such could potentially become our greatest- and augment the level of seriousness to the others.

Let me first say, that I have first hand seen the poverty that is plaguing Central America- and have heard the stories of countless Mexican, Dominican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, Haitian and every other Central and South American Country's citizens. I have heard the stories of poverty in their native countries and the stories about crossing the US boarders spoke in their own tongue. I empathize with the severe situations that many families and individuals find themselves in. I understand why they seek to enter the United States. Speaking without racism, I continue this post.

Based on 2004 studies 8,200-10,000 illegal immigrants enter our country on the average day. It is projected that by the year 2010, 14% of our nation's population will be illegal immigrants. These are staggering figures! Specifically as the US becomes more of a welfare state. With socialism knocking at our door in the form of Universal Health Care and other social reforms- our country puts its economic infrastructure in the hands of the immigration policy makers and those that enforce those policies.

59% of illegals in this country live at or very near poverty levels. That means that they survive off of either our welfare system, or through necessary crime to survive. Either way, they are not paying taxes that support our growing welfare state, or paying for the increasing need for police as crime rates rise in urban areas, or paying into our current Medicare system. That being said, in the past 5 years 23 California hospitals have been shutdown largely due to the over population of illegals that either cannot or do not pay for the medical care they receive.

For now, things are fine. What will happen to our country as we become more and more socialist when we have more and more non-tax contributing illegal immigrants living in the US. Like I said, I am empathetic to the situations that families find themselves in- but what will happen to our country in 10 years, 15 Years or 25 Years, when we continue down the path we are on? I personally am not a believer in creating the Social Democratic Republic of America- but if our socioeconomic structure can't support itself in 10-20 years because so many of our populous are non-tax paying illegals, then what happens to everyone, including those here illegally? I helps no one. Illegals will eventually bite the hand that feeds them....and bite it off, because they do not support the very system that they rely on.

Our borders must be closed and more regulated, specifically the Arizona border or our economy will inevitably collapse, maybe not today or tomorrow- but someday.

Peace in the Middle East

Dwight D. Eisenhower Video (Introduction to Blog)

We are currently faced with more turmoil in the Middle East than ever before. Why is it that after years of war, occupation and nation building are we seeing more and more unrest in this area of the world? Why has the United States been so hated by countries like Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq?



In the video Eisenhower speaks of the military industrial complex having too much power and what that would potentially look like. He said, "We must not fail to comprehend its grave implications, our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved, so is the very structure of our society."

"In the councils of government we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, weather sought or unsought by the military industrial complex."

"The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties and democratic processes."

The fact is, we have let the military industrial complex have too much power. They have brought and kept our nation in war.

Our nation has assumed the responsibility to police the world in the name of national security. This policy is what caused us to invade Iraq. If we are not careful- this policy will cause us to invade Iran. This policy will always initiate nations like Pakistan and Iran to act defensively (which as per our policy we view as offensive measures) by seeking nuclear warfare capabilities. Perpetuating the problem that we are trying to prevent. Basically, what formula we are acting under is this:

prevent and preempt= safety and preservation of our liberty

We do the first part of that formula, but our desired result will never occur by preempting any country to build their own military industrial complex. The actual formula looks like this:

prevent and preempt = instigate and destroy liberty and culture

When did we become the nation that told other nations what they could and could not do? Why is it our job to police the world? Is it any wonder that our nation is among the most hated?

Our nation's policing the world causes the growth of Al Qaeda, again perpetuating the very problem that we are trying to solve. All I am trying to say is that, yes there are incredibly serious problems in the middle east- but our current strategies are only causing our adversaries to grow in numbers and in reason.

No doubt, by continuing on the path that we are currently on, Iran will become an increasingly more threatening nation. I blame a lot of it on us. We need to seek more peaceful resolutions in regulation of Nuclear Weaponry. Each nation should have the right to defend its commodities and its way of life just like we do. I do fear the power we could allow Iran or Korea or any other nation to have. The problem is that it is not our job to allow or not to allow them to do anything.

I end with the almost prophetic words of Dwight D. Eisenhower: "The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties and democratic processes."

Purpose of this Blog

My blog will be a conglomeration on many things. I am deeply opinionated- no doubt about that. I have strong political, social and economic views on the world and on the society in which I reside.

I hope to both educate as well as influence those around me in a greater sense. I believe that the direction we are heading as a society and as a country has both its strengths and its limitations.

I hope to give an objective and unbiased view on what is truth.