General Petraeus Endorses Obama's Plans To Close GITMO, End Torture

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Interview Transcript:

http://www.rferl.org/content/transcript_RFERL_Interviews_US_Central_Command_Chi ef_General_David_Petraeus/1738626.html

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Petraeus Endorses Obama's Plans To Close GITMO, End Torture

General David Petraeus said this past weekend that President Obama's decision to close down Gitmo and end harsh interrogation techniques would benefit the United States in the broader war on terror.

In an appearance on Radio Free Europe on Sunday, the man hailed by conservatives as the preeminent military figure of his generation left little room for doubt about where he stands on some of Obama's most contentious policies.

"I think, on balance, that those moves help [us]," said the chief of U.S. Central Command. "In fact, 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. And as a division commander in Iraq in the early days, we put out guidance very early on to make sure that our soldiers, in fact, knew that we needed to stay within those guidelines.

"With respect to Guantanamo," Petraeus added, "I think that the closure in a responsible manner, obviously one that is certainly being worked out now by the Department of Justice -- I talked to the Attorney General the other day [and] they have a very intensive effort ongoing to determine, indeed, what to do with the detainees who are left, how to deal with them in a legal way, and if continued incarceration is necessary -- again, how to take that forward. But doing that in a responsible manner, I think, 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."

The remarks appear to be the first from Petraeus since the closure of Guantanamo and Bush Administration use of enhanced interrogation techniques became hot-button partisan issues. They couldn't come at a better time for Obama. The president has found himself under intense political heat after the United States Senate soundly rejected his request for funds to shut down the prison. Dueling speeches between Obama and Cheney this past Thursday, moreover, did little to tamp down the controversy over the president's release of memos depicting the legal authorization fro the use of torture.

The president got a boost on Sunday when former Secretary of State Colin Powell came to his defense on both subjects. In conducting his RFE interview, Petraeus because the second figure who garners far more respect and popularity among Republicans than Cheney to offer his backing for Obama's national security plans.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/26/petraeus-endorses-obamas_n_207513.html#

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So now you got Patreus and Powell endorsing the closing of Gitmo and banning of torture. Two men who know a shit load more than Cheney, a pussy who deferred military duty during war time 5 times because he had better things to do.

As the immortal Notorious B.I.G says: "If you dont know, now you know, nigga"

[jameznyhc]

huh we havent used waterboarding since 2003 wake up kid it was used on 3 high profile planners ...that policy been dead for 6 years lol .. actually afteer seeing reports id rather have the terrorists in marion federal prison where gotti was ... they have it way too good in gitmo

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huh we havent used waterboarding since 2003 wake up kid it was used on 3 high profile planners ...that policy been dead for 6 years lol .. actually afteer seeing reports id rather have the terrorists in marion federal prison where gotti was ... they have it way too good in gitmo

Glad you are on board too :thumbsup

I knew you would come around.

So to be clear: Gen. Powell, Gen. Patraeus, and Jameznyhc has now all officially endorsed the banning of torture and the closing of Gitmo.

Re-read that sentence kid, doesnt it feel sooooooo much better to be mentioned in the same sentence as those two guys rather than the neocon crooks whom you were their pet for all these years?

Congrats on the promotion kiddo.

[jameznyhc]

good analysis of the whole cheney vs obama debate ..

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[Defekted]

Sorry but would rather listen to GENERAL PATREUS, you know, the guy that you and I agree is a supremely intelligent general who changed alot of the things that caused much of the mess in Iraq. A little more credible than Oreilly talking points, lol

Gates, Patreus, Powell....... All Bush guys that are highly critical of the "early cheney, i mean bush, years" .....

There is reason to be found in the Republican Party..... unfortunately for you it isnt on the right fringe....its from the military/ centrist / pragmatic middle. At the very least they can see reality over ideology.

[jameznyhc]

Glad you are on board too :thumbsup

I knew you would come around.

So to be clear: Gen. Powell, Gen. Patraeus, and Jameznyhc has now all officially endorsed the banning of torture and the closing of Gitmo.

Re-read that sentence kid, doesnt it feel sooooooo much better to be mentioned in the same sentence as those two guys rather than the neocon crooks whom you were their pet for all these years?

Congrats on the promotion kiddo.

yeah why not i mean barry caved on military tribunals, he wont release the bad ones who are not charged, he didnt repeeal patriot act, or photos, ... waterboarding i would still favor if we had a guy like khalid ..but again we havent used waterboarding in 6 years .. so with barry flifloppin we gotta give a little ..and nothing would make me more happy than to see them in 23 hour lockdown, no charges, no trial ... just waiting and suffering :heythere

[jameznyhc]

Sorry but would rather listen to GENERAL PATREUS, you know, the guy that you and I agree is a supremely intelligent general who changed alot of the things that caused much of the mess in Iraq. A little more credible than Oreilly talking points, lol

Gates, Patreus, Powell....... All Bush guys that are highly critical of the "early cheney, i mean bush, years" .....

There is reason to be found in the Republican Party..... unfortunately for you it isnt on the right fringe....its from the military/ centrist / pragmatic middle. At the very least they can see reality over ideology.

hey barry kept all of bush policy ..oh except waterboarding (which we havent used in 6 years) ..why wouldnt i be thrilled?

[ShaE]

good analysis of the whole cheney vs obama debate ..

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except that obama really isn't "debating" cheney, cheney just won't stfu lol

[ShaE]

"I think, on balance, that those moves help [us]," said the chief of U.S. Central Command. "In fact, 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.

jamez, we know you do NOT agree w/ this

[jameznyhc]

except that obama really isn't "debating" cheney, cheney just won't stfu lol

the only reason cheney spoke out was the witch hunt that blew up in barrys face... what world are you livin in? ...this all started with Obama selectivly releasing memos ... so cheney called his bluff and said release the results ..none of this had to happen ..Obama would have been in a much better position if he never pursued this .. cause in the end he justified bush policy by keeping all of it lol .. cheney wrecked him on this ..

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yeah why not i mean barry caved on military tribunals, he wont release the bad ones who are not charged, he didnt repeeal patriot act, or photos, ... waterboarding i would still favor if we had a guy like khalid ..but again we havent used waterboarding in 6 years .. so with barry flifloppin we gotta give a little ..and nothing would make me more happy than to see them in 23 hour lockdown, no charges, no trial ... just waiting and suffering :heythere

Im not talking about "giving a little" to the other side.... Patreaus isnt "giving" a little.... he is agreeing that shutting down gitmo and banning torture makes America MORE SAFE. Which runs OPPOSITE to Cheney..... :heythere

Perfect example why he kept Gates and Patreus. Gates was critical of the IRaq war from the getgo and is against torture and wants gitmo closed..... now we got Patreus onboard as well. Powell as well. Reasonable men that wipe their asses with cheney/wolfowitz/krauthammer/kristol/abrams/nypost oped/foxnews/hannity/rush/savage/any other garbage representative of the "lost party" ......

[jameznyhc]

[QUOTE]Im not talking about "giving a little" to the other side.... Patreaus isnt "giving" a little.... he is agreeing that shutting down gitmo and banning torture makes America MORE SAFE. Which runs OPPOSITE to Cheney..... :heythere



well Cheney beat him to it ...we stopped waterboarding 6 years ago ..and cheney was worried when gitmo closed the terrorist would have trials in civilian courts ...BUT with Obama keeping those not charged locked up ..and the others military tribunals ..im all for shippin them to 23 hour lockdown ... Gitmo was/ is way too easy on them

[ShaE]

cheney stopped waterboarding years ago yet still maintains its "effectiveness" and legality.

what the hell points should he get for that?

[jameznyhc]

Perfect example why he kept Gates and Patreus. Gates was critical of the IRaq war from the getgo and is against torture and wants gitmo closed..... now we got Patreus onboard as well. Powell as well. Reasonable men that wipe their asses with cheney/wolfowitz/krauthammer/kristol/abrams/nypost oped/foxnews/hannity/rush/savage/any other garbage representative of the "lost party" ......

no kidding that is the bush war team ... wolfowitz been gone for years son ... gates and petraus were Bush /McCain picks lol

[jameznyhc]

cheney stopped waterboarding years ago yet still maintains its "effectiveness" and legality.

what the hell points should he get for that?

i dont know we would need to see the evidence ..but obviously he felt only those 3 it would be effective on ,.. thats why none others were waterbioarded ...those guys were the planners and masterminds ..no need to waterboard foot soldiers

[jameznyhc]

its still legal ...Obama did not make it ILLEGAL ..he choose to no longer use it ..but its still left on the table for the next prez or if barry himself one day reverses course and uses it .. thats why nobody from Bush administration will be prosecuted

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its still legal ...Obama did not make it ILLEGAL ..he choose to no longer use it ..but its still left on the table for the next prez or if barry himself one day reverses course and uses it .. thats why nobody from Bush administration will be prosecuted

incorrect. HE BANNED IT. Hence it is illegal going forward. It is not "left open"

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no kidding that is the bush war team ... wolfowitz been gone for years son ... gates and petraus were Bush /McCain picks lol

Yes I know who they are, they came in later in his second term, where bush policy took a sharp turn to moderation.... where the pentagon became more pragmatic and the state dept called more shots.....

my point is you fall in the "2001-2004" camp..... a rancid, idiotic, pathetic, shameful and most importantly DISCREDITED group is right wing chicken hawk ideologues......

[jameznyhc]

incorrect. HE BANNED IT. Hence it is illegal going forward. It is not "left open"

Banning a method does not make it illegal ...the President does not even determine that without legal counsel .. he banned ..meaning the next president can choose to use it ..it was and is still legal ..Obama just chooses not to use it

[jameznyhc]

Yes I know who they are, they came in later in his second term, where bush policy took a sharp turn to moderation.... where the pentagon became more pragmatic and the state dept called more shots.....

my point is you fall in the "2001-2004" camp..... a rancid, idiotic, pathetic, shameful and most importantly DISCREDITED group is right wing chicken hawk ideologues......

thats when they became serious about winning the war in iraq ...and you all fought against it .. such a shame the way the left went after petraus .. calling him bush lapdog .. hillary even suggested he lied...but please the left wing like Obama predicted the surge would fail and petraus would fail .... thankgod bush was right all along about him

but now it seems like the neocon ideology coming back with this afghanistan surge