Bush Invited Journalists to Gitmo

[Zoe]

At a recent news conference, President Bush invited journalists to visit the prison at Guantanamo and see for themselves that the allegations of torture were false.

Today some reporters and photographers accompanied members of the House on a fact-finding mission at the base. Military escorts, however, controlled what the journalists could see and hear. On a tour of one camp occupied by detainees considered of “high value” for intelligence, journalists were not allowed to see or talk with any prisoners at all. Wouldn’t those prisoners be the ones most likely to have been tortured?

Can anyone explain why Bush’s invitation is not virtually meaningless/

News source

[Zoe]

Here is a link to a summary of the speech from last Monday in which Bush extended the invitation. His exact words were:

I seriously suggest you go down there and take a look. Look at the facts.

I seriously suggest he didn’t mean it.

[Squink]

Can anyone explain why Bush’s invitation is not virtually meaningless

Not just virtually, but probably literally meaningless.

Bush likes to recycle good lines over and over, despite changes on the ground:

January 30, 2004
Iraq’s security forces now exceed 170,000 – more than the number of Coalition forces serving in Iraq.

Iraq Fact of the Day

President Bush:

April 12, 2005
Today, more than 150,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped, and for the first time, the Iraqi army, police and security forces now outnumber U.S. forces in Iraq.

[MsRobyn]

Even if Bush was serious about inviting journalists, I’m willing to put down hard money that the journalists will be shown only what Bush wants them to see. I hate to invite Godwin so soon into this discussion, but Terezin comes to mind.

Robin

[elucidator]

Day late, dollar short. What comes to my mind is Potemkin village.

But if it means that what they were doing they ain’t doing any more, then good. Take what you can get. We got a lot of amends to make, best get started.

[Rashak_Mani]

Even if they don’t hide anything… would the journalists be able to distinguish what constitutes abuse and a problem in GITMO ? Its not a simple issue… and journalists aren’t exactly digging to find much lately.

[DoctorJ]

By the same standard. we could probably say that the President doesn’t live in the White House. I mean, tens of thousands of people tour the building every year, and virtually none of them see him there.

[woodstockbirdybird]

@DoctorJ

By the same standard. we could probably say that the President doesn’t live in the White House. I mean, tens of thousands of people tour the building every year, and virtually none of them see him there.

Yeah, that’s the “same standard”.

[BobLibDem]

Another meaningless stunt by the same people that brought you the dramatic landing on the aircraft carrier in San Diego.

[Psycho_Pirate]

@woodstockbirdybird

Yeah, that’s the “same standard”.

The same standard required by the liberals on this board, yes.

[XT]

Ok…inviting journalists is probably just for public relations and to try and close the barn door once the cow has bolted for parts unknown. Still…seems that the house Republican and Democrats would pretty much get to see whats going on there, no? And it doesn’t seem to be so very bad…at least not these days.

From U.S. lawmakers tour Guantanamo prison

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - During a tour of the U.S. prison for suspected terrorists on Saturday, House Republicans and Democrats, including one who has advocated closing the facility, said the United States has made progress in improving conditions and protecting detainees’ rights.

“The Guantanamo we saw today is not the Guantanamo we heard about a few years ago,” said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif.

‘We’ve made progress’
At a communal camp for those given privileges because of good behavior, bearded detainees in white frocks, flip-flops and skull caps quietly lingered near lawmakers, although from behind fences. Later, the detainees played soccer.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, is one of many Democrats who have called for an independent commission to investigate abuse allegations and have said the facility should close. She said she stood by that position, but acknowledged, “What we’ve seen here is evidence that we’ve made progress.”

I’m not sure why the presidents decision to actually open up the facility to reporters, even if the access is limited, is pit worthy. It seems like at least a small step in the right direction. And of course though those reporters didn’t get to go everywhere, the house members presumbably did…and the reporters were right there on hand to interview THEM…no?

-XT

[Squink]

@xtisme

I’m not sure why the presidents decision to actually open up the facility to reporters, even if the access is limited, is pit worthy.

It’s kind of in the same class as his assertion that he wants to eliminate torture worldwide:

“Freedom from torture is an inalienable human right, and we are committed to building a world where human rights are respected and protected by the rule of law.”

Nothing really new, or unexpected there right? But it grates against the dude’s history.
Maybe it’s time to open up a new thread on things on crap Bush does that don’t quite merit their own pitting.

[Rashak_Mani]

Or maybe they transfered Gitmo inmates to a “friendly” country with “flexible” laws ? :eek:

[Cervaise]

@DoctorJ

By the same standard. we could probably say that the President doesn’t live in the White House. I mean, tens of thousands of people tour the building every year, and virtually none of them see him there.

He’s so ronery.

[Zoe]

xtisme, the President told the reporters to check out the facts for themselves and then wouldn’t let the reporters see or talk to the very prisoners that would be subject to torture.

If I were a journalist, I would feel that the purpose of my trip to Guantanamo had been blocked and that I would still be getting only second hand reports, at best, about what was happening to “high value” prisoners.

The President’s invitation was spoken in public and I suspect now that it was said to make it appear that Guantanamo is actually open for inspection to members of the press when it clearly is not. At best, the public was mislead.

Even the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has limited access.

Do you think that it was “business as usual” while members of Congress were there? (I have no way of knowing, but I would be skeptical.) I certainly can hope things have improved.

[Loach]

You make it sound like reporters have only gone to GTMO recently after they were invited by Bush. There have been reporters at GTMO on nearly a weekly basis for years. Including the Arab media.