Obama has disappointed me! (part 2)

More than any of the other candidates, I expected of Obama that he would put an end to Guantanamo and the dubious tribunals that are such an offense to the sense of justice and human rights. Especially since it comes from America, who always put themselves up there as bastion of freedom...

This is a very deep disappointment.
A man of law, I had very high expectations.

He let himself down, he let his country down, he let down many people all over the world who pinned their hopes on the new broom sweeping clean all the abuses and excesses of the Bush era.

It makes no difference to me that the defendants now have a slightly improved legal protection. The entire process is flawed and should have been eliminated down to the last detail.

I expected better of him.

Obama vs Bush: How tribunals compare

DIFFERENT

*A ban on all evidence gleaned through cruel or inhumane means, including waterboarding

*More leeway for detainees to select their defence, although still restricted to military lawyers

*No prejudice against defendants if they choose not to testify

SAME

*Guantanamo to remain trial venue

*Military lawyers will still provide defence services for the detainees

*Accused will still not have access to all evidence used against them

*Detainees will still not have access to the two traditional branches of US law, the civilian court system and the Uniform Code of Military Justice

source

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

Bush today:

"America stands in firm opposition to China's detention of political dissidents, human rights advocates, and religious activists."
source

America, yesterday:

A jury of six U.S. military officers convicted Osama bin Laden's former driver of supporting terrorism but cleared him of conspiracy Wednesday in the first war crimes trial at Guantanamo Bay.

The Pentagon-selected jury deliberated for about eight hours over three days before returning its split decision against Salim Hamdan, who held his head in his hands and wept when a Navy captain on the jury read the verdict.

The jury reconvened hours later for a sentencing hearing in the hilltop courtroom on this U.S. base in southeastern Cuba. Hamdan, who is from Yemen and is about 37, faces life behind bars, though it is unclear where he would serve his time.

Defense lawyers had feared a guilty verdict was inevitable in the first war-crimes trial since the aftermath of World War II, saying the tribunal system's rules were designed to achieve convictions.

"I don't know if the panel can render fair what has already happened," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Brian Mizer, Hamdan's Pentagon-appointed attorney, said as the jury deliberated.

But the Bush administration said Hamdan enjoyed a zealous defense and called the verdict fair.
source

He really leaves me speechless.
The whole situation around the USA does...