# Guantanamo Brits- Do they have a cunning plan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 23, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397 "2003-07-23T16:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/1 "2003-07-23T16:25:13Z")
Although I thoroughly distrust Blair, Straw and Blunkett, it is possible that they and Lord Goldsmith have hatched a cunning plan: From: > **[Britons held in Cuba will not be executed](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jul/23/guantanamo.usa)** > > The attorney general announced yesterday that he had won Washington's assurances that military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay would not seek the death penalty against British prisoners, although he said the government had also formally abandoned... "The attorney general announced yesterday that he had won Washington’s assurances that military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay would not seek the death penalty against British prisoners, although he said the government had also formally abandoned attempts to have the prisoners repatriated for trial in Britain. … British civilian lawyers will be able to act as consultants on the defence teams, which will be made up of US civilian and military lawyers. … The statement said any British subject sentenced to a prison term would be able to serve his sentence in Britain “to the extent feasible in accordance with US and UK law.” So, Trial followed by Life Imprisonment followed by transfer to British Jail followed by appeal to European Court of Human Rights (which unlike the US constitution appears to actually respect habeus corpus and the Rule of Law and Rules of Evidence)followed by an order to release the men because their trial was obviously grossly unfair amd illegal by UK and European and International standards. Problem solved in two to three years. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/2 "2003-07-23T17:36:36Z")
wow, that plan is so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/3 "2003-07-24T06:39:06Z")
What would be the Bush Administration (if they’re still there) on this outcome in a couple of years? Is it at all likely that this outcome wiill happen? Will it save Tony Blair? ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/4 "2003-07-24T09:50:30Z")
> [@](#): > > What would be the Bush Administration['s position] (if they’re still there) on this outcome in a couple of years? I think they’d be quite happy at having someone else to blame (_ie._ the ECHR) as a smokescreen for their blatant violation of the [Geneva Convetion](http://193.194.138.190/html/menu3/b/91.htm). I commend you, **Pjen** , on an incisive piece of prognostication - I think this has every chance of coming to pass. As for “I’m Tory Plan B” (Tony Blair MP), this is a small bird dropping falling towards an enormous heap of guano: its diversion will make little difference. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/5 "2003-07-24T10:31:40Z")
I don’t know how “cunning” it is; of course the first goal is to take ‘em out of the jurisdiction of the US military and into any civilian judicial system. At least then they’ve got a chance of getting some kind of fair hearing, with, at least, some recognisable safeguards attached. Next goal; take ‘em out of the US judicial system and they’ve got a much better chance of getting a fair trial, sane sentencing options and, almost everywhere, the safety net of the European Convention on Human Rights – key is, to any European sensibility – get them away from the US military and the US constitution and the rest will follow. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/6 "2003-07-24T10:49:26Z")
It should be remembered that the _worst_ option would be that they were actually _guilty_ of terrorist involvement and were subsequently released because due legal process was not followed. All such mess could easily have been avoided by granting extradition. ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_of_the_Shapes)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/7 "2003-07-24T10:55:53Z")
That was the first thing i thought when i heard about them serving time in a UK jail. Does anyone know if the US could do anything to stop this? I mean, they can’t make the UK agree not to let this happen, because once you’re in a UK jail, you’re covered by UK and European law right? ---
**Author:** ![spanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@spanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spanna)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/8 "2003-07-24T10:58:00Z")
Theres a very fine dividing line between that worst option. And the possibility of them being innocent and sentenced to death. I am sure they would think my definition was the worst option. If they have PROOF that these men are terrorists what is there to fear from proper trial. If we just have suspicions that they are terrorists what sort of state are we living in !!! When people can be condemned to death just on suspicion then you had better start watching your own back cos if the terrorists don’t get ya the state will. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/9 "2003-07-24T11:33:54Z")
But we already know they’re guilty. [Bush said so](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/10/attack/main557846.shtml). > [@](#): > > The only thing we know for certain is that these are bad people. Who needs due process or a trial, fair or otherwise, when the leader of the administration himself makes it quite clear that they’re guilty before being “proved” so? ---
**Author:** ![YourOldBuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bc79bd/32.png) [@YourOldBuddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourOldBuddy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantanamo-brits-do-they-have-a-cunning-plan/190397/10 "2003-07-24T12:23:24Z")
I hate bad ppl. Lets hang them. My neighbour is pretty bad too. Im going out…