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Just Saying

(1,799 posts)
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 08:50 PM Jul 2013

Just saw President Obama on Rachel Maddow regarding force feeding at GITMO

He said he's going to cut some slack to the woman who interrupted him because force feeding prisoners is something to be passionate about.

What a horrible situation! What action can the President take to stop this? Does he have the power?

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Cha

(305,447 posts)
1. I dunno, JS.. I read yesterday
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 08:53 PM
Jul 2013

that a judge said PBO is the only one who can stop it.. but, I'll need more information.

Just Saying

(1,799 posts)
2. Rosa Brooks
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 08:57 PM
Jul 2013

Was the guest on the show and she said he could do it with the stroke of a pen which I assume means executive order. Of course then they may starve to death. That whole situation is such a mess and needs to be shut down. Yet another huge mess dumped on Obama by the Bush administration. And Congress continues to block attempts to shut it down.

You could plainly see that this weighs on the President. He's a good man so this must go against his moral beliefs.

CountAllVotes

(21,069 posts)
3. yep
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:04 PM
Jul 2013

Been hearing this since before 2008.

I thought that change was commin' and that Gitmo would be one of the first places to say farewell too.

This goes on for one simple reason.

Like all things as this -- war profiteering is the sad culprit.

History repeats itself again and again and again and again ...

Enough already a long forgotten time ago. It is another broken promise. How many more will there be? How much time is needed ANYWAY?





Cha

(305,447 posts)
6. Excuse me? This President has not broken his
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:13 PM
Jul 2013

promise. Congress will not fund the closing of gitmo.. that's just one reason why we need a Democratic Congress in 2014.

CountAllVotes

(21,069 posts)
8. Why does he continue to send
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:17 PM
Jul 2013

Medical personnel, more medical personnel to force feed the hunger strikers?

It is against international treaties to do this.

Does any one give a damn at all?

I DO and I am SICK of this, all of it.

If you want to die by starving yourself to death as you are so very desperate, I believe that is just fine if that is what YOU want to do.

How many more YEARS will this take?

How much more money will be spent?

War profiteers should know exactly how much more they can suck out of this sicko deal!

Cha

(305,447 posts)
9. I don't know why they're trying to keep them alive.
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:28 PM
Jul 2013

If congress would release the funds to close it, they could get them out of legal limbo and then they might not want to die.

But, I do know the President wants to close Gitmo.. he cannot do it without the funds from Congress.

peacebird

(14,195 posts)
7. Sad, but you seem correct. Was he lying when he ran on hope & change, or has the NSA blackmailed him
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:14 PM
Jul 2013

Will we ever know?

Cha

(305,447 posts)
10. No, he wasn't "lying", peacebird.
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:30 PM
Jul 2013

This is the Barack Obama Group and those who support President Obama are Welcome here.

But, silly speculation is not.

peacebird

(14,195 posts)
15. I ardently supported him in his first run for the Oval, supported him for his 2 nd as well
Wed Jul 10, 2013, 05:47 AM
Jul 2013

but now question WHY he has brought more charges against whistle blowers than any other Pres? Why is he promoting trade agreements that attempt to force GMO's on Europe? That attempt to flood European markets with our cheap massproduced GMO feedlot fed meat?

Cha

(305,447 posts)
16. Yeah, there are issues that aren't perfect right now.. but, we keep working for
Wed Jul 10, 2013, 01:52 PM
Jul 2013

it and appreciate the President for what has been accomplished.

That's what this group is about and there is the whole of DU other than here to continue with your disappointment.

 

Pretzel_Warrior

(8,361 posts)
11. Your memory sucks, then
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:33 PM
Jul 2013

Because you obviously can't just free all the prisoners and Peter King & other unhinged GOP went ape shit at having trials back here in the states. Then people opposed and balked about having these prisoners in super max prisons in the U.S.

Obama stuck with no-win situation.

Cha

(305,447 posts)
5. Yes, that's exactly right. Dumped on him by bush and congress who
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:11 PM
Jul 2013

don't give a shit about anything.

And, we have this President who cares very much and wants to close Guantanomo but can't get the funds from congress. Now, we have this catch 22 regarding the prisoners who would rather starve than live in legal limbo.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/01/miami-herald-reporter-guantanamo-prisoners-would-rather-starve-than-live-in-legal-limbo/

It's fucking ridiculous.

Just Saying

(1,799 posts)
12. I know it's a different situation
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:38 PM
Jul 2013

But it reminds me of scenes from "Iron Jawed Angels" where suffragists were force fed when they waged a hunger strike. It's barbaric.

Eight years of Bush and we'll be dealing with the aftermath for years to come!

delrem

(9,688 posts)
13. Obviously Pres. Obama hasn't the power.
Tue Jul 9, 2013, 11:11 PM
Jul 2013

That's been the whole excuse for the continuation of this charade.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
20. It's not an excuse; it's the truth.
Thu Jul 11, 2013, 02:51 PM
Jul 2013

He's not some king who can just close the joint down. Republicans in Congress have to help him.

dennis4868

(9,774 posts)
14. And if President Obama simply let them starve to death
Wed Jul 10, 2013, 12:02 AM
Jul 2013

the same people here, who are now bashing him for not letting them starve to death, would be bashing him for letting them starve themselves to death. They would say what kind of a human being simply allows people to starve to death when he can stop it and force feed them.

And it boggles the mind that some on DU actually think President Obama is wealthy enough to fund the closing of Gittmo and doesn't need Congress' assistance.

treestar

(82,383 posts)
18. Absolutely right
Wed Jul 10, 2013, 10:08 PM
Jul 2013

They'd be calling him a killer.

I prefer the force feeding to letting them die, too. There's a big difference between life and death. This ought to be a burden to those who won't allow Gitmo to be shut rather than the president. People who sincerely want it shut would be after those politicians.

IrishAyes

(6,151 posts)
19. It's called 'beat him to a pulp & then stomp him for bleeding'
Thu Jul 11, 2013, 12:34 PM
Jul 2013

Those people can't be pleased no matter what, because they don't WANT to be. It's passive-aggressive and borderline. The worst types to deal with.

Lady Freedom Returns

(14,168 posts)
17. The thing is that we can not just let them starve themselves.
Wed Jul 10, 2013, 06:50 PM
Jul 2013

They have to eat. Just like when people try this in regular jails and in mental institutions.

The Gimo situation is on the shoulders of the Congress. They do what they need to do so the President can close it, this would be different.

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