Petraeus Tells RFE/RL That Recent Gitmo, Interrogation Moves Will 'Help' (U.S. efforts in Iraq-Af)

[jefferson_dem]

Source: RFE/RL

Petraeus Tells RFE/RL That Recent Gitmo, Interrogation Moves Will 'Help'

PRAGUE (RFE/RL) -- The head of U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus, has told RFE/RL he thinks that "on balance" the expected closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and abandonment of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques will "help" U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the struggle against transnational extremist violence.

In an exclusive interview in Prague that will be published in its entirety later today, Petraeus also talks about U.S. strategies in Afghanistan and the need to keep civilian casualties there "to an absolute minimum."

Petraeus says that closing Guantanamo "in a responsible manner...sends an important message to the world, as does the commitment of the United States to observe the Geneva Convention when it comes to the treatment of detainees."

In one of his earliest actions of his presidency, Barack Obama in January ordered the closure of the Guantanamo detention center within one year. The U.S. president last week said use of the internationally maligned facility "has weakened American national security" and become "a rallying cry for our enemies."

"I have long been on record as having testified and also in helping write doctrine for interrogation techniques that are completely in line with the Geneva Convention," Petraeus says.

The specifics of closing Guantanamo are proving contentious, including questions over how to prosecute and where to incarcerate some of the roughly 240 remaining detainees.

Republicans and some Democrats have since chafed at a Guantanamo shutdown, with Democrats last week blocking funding to close the facility until there is a specific plan with guarantees that detainees would not end up in U.S. prisons.

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said on ABC's "This Week" on May 24 that he welcomes Guantanamo's closure and military officials are working to meet Obama's 12-month deadline, according to AP. Mullen added, however, that detainees include "some really bad people."


Read more: http://www.rferl.org/Content/Petraeus_Tells_RFERL_Recent_Gitmo_Interrogation_Moves_Will_Help/1738602.html

[tomm2thumbs]

1. sounds like a clean sweep for Obama on Sunday shows - it's past your bedtime Cheeney

go get your nappy nap and your snuggles bear and hit the pillow because tomorrow is a bright shiny new day

[Downwinder]

2. It might help more if they observed ALL of the Geneva Conventions

instead of being selective on which ones they are going to honor.

Petraeus says that closing Guantanamo "in a responsible manner...sends an important message to the world, as does the commitment of the United States to observe the Geneva Convention when it comes to the treatment of detainees."


They seem to be ignoring quite a few pertaining to the treatment of civilians and civilian property.