Spanish Judge Calls for Closing U.S. Prison at Guantánamo

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/europe/04terror.html

FLORENCE, Italy — Invoking Spain's history of dictatorship and terror, Baltasar Garzón, the country's most prominent investigative magistrate, has called on the United States to immediately close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

"A model like Guantánamo is an insult to countries that respect laws," Judge Garzón said in an interview during a counterterrorism conference in Florence in late May. "It delegitimizes us. It is a place that needs to disappear immediately."

As the war in Iraq drags on, criticism in Europe of the Bush administration's prison for terrorist suspects as well as its secret transport of terrorist suspects to third countries has steadily mounted. The criticism reflects both concern among Europeans that the United States has abandoned its core values and a widespread anti-Americanism among Europe's Muslim population.

In a speech last month, Britain's attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, called on the United States to close Guantánamo, saying, "The historic tradition of the U.S. as a beacon of freedom, liberty and justice deserves the removal of this symbol."

[me b zola]

1. The good Spanish judge didn't mince words:

"A model like Guantánamo is an insult to countries that respect laws. It delegitimizes us. It is a place that needs to disappear immediately."


The growning chorus is getting louder.

[Erika]

3. Yes, this insanity of Gitmo needs to end

Where did W ever come from to think he could invade a foreign country and imprison their fighters without rights in Cuba?

[987654321]

2. Does anyone remember when...

The rest of the free world used to look up to us?

[Erika]

4. A long time ago

W has now patterned us by his self image, the truly ugly American.

[stephinrome]

5. NYT summary is nonsense

I just clicked on the link but get the registration page since I'm not registered and this is the summary they give for the article:

"Criticism in Europe reflects both concern among Europeans that the United States has abandoned its core values and a widespread anti-Americanism among Europe's Muslim population."

Wide-spread anti-Amercanism among Europe's Muslim population - that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read!

Europe's Muslim population, and indeed Europeans (aside from a very small minority) aren't anti-American, they are anti-illegal detention and anti-torture!

Now I remember why I canceled my registration with the NYT.

Steph