Has America any credibility left?
@owlwings (43910)
Cambridge, England
February 3, 2007 6:20am CST
Five years after the U.S. military started detaining suspected al Qaeda and Taliban fighters at the Guantanamo naval base, none of the 395 prisoners still held there has been tried.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that detainees could go to American courts to seek their release or changes in confinement conditions. But in October 2006 President George W. Bush signed a law taking away prisoners' rights to the U.S. court system.
None of the detainees has been tried and proven guilty. Why?
How can America claim to uphold human rights while this continues?I am well aware that many - perhaps a majority of - Americans do not support the Bush administration and that these injustices should properly be laid at the door of that administration. I am not accusing my many American friends on here, however, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, America is Bush and Bush is America!
5 people like this
15 responses
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
3 Feb 07
This is a huge strike against civil rights, or human rights rather. Yes thanks to the shrub, America has lost a great deal of it's self. Freedom is lacking in abundance, fairness has gone out the window and justice well Bush has made sure he has done his fair share of trampling that as well. However, I do feel there is hope with a new President, America can rebuild it's repetition, right all the wrongs this jerk as created and repair the damage caused by this administration. It's insane to think so many Americans felt this idiot was just what this country needed.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
I believe that America can rebuild its reputation. It will not be easy. It may seem insane now that Bush was voted in but were people aware of what he would do once in office? The same can be said of many politicians who, once they are in power, behave quite differently to what one expected from their campaigns.
@MissGia (955)
• United States
3 Feb 07
5 years! thats just obscene, especially for a country who coined the phrase "innocent until proven guilty" when in all actuality were living in a society where your guilty until proven innocent. I cant wait till bush is out of office, hes made americans look like selfish peices of Sh**, he makes us look like we care only about ourselves, he makes us look like war mongers.
God Bless the person who has to take up the challenge of fixing the mess he has made.
1 person likes this
@MissGia (955)
• United States
4 Feb 07
where did i anywhere in my response say anything about hitler, or sadam or the war in iraq for that matter. If your insuing that i condone what they do, your wrong. But what i dont condone is helping other countries when we need plenty of help ourselves in our own country. We helped establish a democracy and its time we hand the job of keeping peace over their to the iraqis.
1 person likes this
@msbyte (219)
• United States
4 Feb 07
there were plenty of people that said the same thing about WWII, that we had no business in it...I guess they thought hitler was an ok guy or something,,, maybe they thought genocide (much like what Sadaam was doing) was ok too. I guess all the so called "peace people" think peace is just for america, to hell with the rest of the world. Why protect innocent women, children and men.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
I, too, fail to understand msbyte's comment here. It certainly has no relevance to your response!
@nannacroc (4049)
•
3 Feb 07
I think America lost its credibility a long while ago. If I remember correctly there was some problems with the voting for the election that made Bush president.
I used to be under the impression that both America and Britain were democracies but Bush and Blair have proved that they will fight for the human rights of people in oil rich countries while ignoring the poorer countries and taking away the basic freedoms of people within their own societies.
@moneymind (10510)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
It seems that when bush became the president of the united states they started to loose their crdibility as a 'good' nation in the eyes of the international community. This is all because of the war attitude of bush and even went as far as lieing to the or about the evidence to go to war with iraq. greetings. : )
1 person likes this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
10 Feb 07
The world does judge us by our leaders. Bush is very unpopular around the world and in America. He is an idiot, and caused so much trouble and problems.
1 person likes this
@magdollars23 (1685)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I think right now America is viewed as a big joke to everyone even to Americans. But it is only expected because of who our president is at the moment. I think once we have a new president you will see the respect for America come back, and we will be a much better country.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
I can only say that I sincerely hope that you are right!
@juliocstryfe (2019)
• Brazil
4 Feb 07
Has America any credibility left?
Under Bush, no. However, the US has suffered worse presidents before *cough* Nixon *cough* and survived, USA will soon shake off the Bush administration like a case of bad fleas and regain its reputation.
The question is, by the time that gets done, will it be too late?
1 person likes this
@getnbuy (1312)
• United States
4 Feb 07
How many rights do people who run airplanes into buildings a kill thousands of people deserve? The US has got itself all snarled up with trying not to offend anyone and still stand up for ourselves. Also, do not believe everything you hear from the media. The media is being controlled by the left wing elite. Most Americans still support Bush as far as keeping our country safe. The war could be debated forever, but at least Bush has kept us from any more terrorism.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
My point is that the detainees in Guantanamo Bay (and other places) have been incarcerated for 5 years on charges which have never been proved.
For a long time no media coverage of what went on there was allowed. It is only due to international pressure that information has become available. I think that you will find that the most influential media outlets in the States are tacitly controlled by the Government.
I was not debating the war or whether Bush has had any effect on terrorism.
@moneymind (10510)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
That is actually haunting the united states now since they seems to be alone in every thing that no other countries are really willing to help with their current cause specially in iraq where in there is no good news what so ever. Good thing though i that their leadership has finally realise that their war strategy in iraq is not working good at all.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
It is surprising how many people have not read my question. I do not mention the war in Iraq (or Afghanistan).
@vinu123 (224)
• India
4 Feb 07
I don't really know cause i don'
t live in USA,
well i live i india, what about u why r u being so angry, let the things their way enjoy the life,
Great to talk to you. Bye.
@juliocstryfe (2019)
• Brazil
4 Feb 07
Has America any credibility left?
Under Bush, no. However, the US has suffered worse presidents before *cough* Nixon *cough* and survived, USA will soon shake off the Bush administration like a case of bad fleas and regain its reputation.
The question is, by the time that gets done, will it be too late?
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
3 Feb 07
It is only natural to identify a country with it's leader. In America's case, it's Bush. I'm sure there are many things America is doing that some people around the world are not happy with (including it's own citizens).
Be that as it may, every decision America makes is not without a reason. This I think, must be explained to avoid misunderstanding and distrust. Having said that, there may be some things a leader can see that ordinary citizens do not. We voted the person and should have to trust his leadership unless it is obvious that there is abuse of power.
Being a leader of the world's most powerful nation is not an easy matter. He certainly can not please every people of the world. I am not an American and I have my own personal reactions to America's foreign policies but I would rather suspend my judgement and let history be the judge.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
3 Feb 07
My question was not about America's foreign policies but specifically detaining suspects in intentionally harsh conditions for an extended period of time without trial.
In many other respects America purports to uphold human rights but until they show compliance on the issue of Guantanamo Bay, they can have no credibility in my view.
Very few people will make a decision without a reason. To plead that politicians see things that ordinary people do not is merely debasing the public and granting unwonted power to the politicians, allowing them license to be even more corrupt and devisive.
Your answer is a non-answer. It does not address my question and, for all that it has many lines, says no more than if you had typed "I don't know and I don't care"!
@Nagareru (306)
• Peru
4 Feb 07
i think bush does only governs for ppl close to him and maybe some1 that likes him, because there are lots of wars that are just made coz its value on money, america earns great quantyties by selling weapons. you know war is a great bussines, so i think america lost its credibility after ww2. i think that was the last time they act with right... well i mean... they got attacked also ¬¬... so...
@navaneeth (132)
• India
4 Feb 07
i agree with you. bush is definetely the guy who is controlling america. i always thought that america stood for power, honour and prestige. but after seeing them fail miserably on the war on terror, my impression about america is diminishing. lots of american soldiers have been killed on foreign soil for a futile purpose. iam flabbergasted that the people of america are standing by bush. and as you rightly pointed out none of the gauntanamo prisoners have been tried. i sincerly hope that america can do something to turn the tide in their favor. id like to see america back as a major super power ,winning over its enemies. come on america, step up. god bless.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
4 Feb 07
My question is not to do with the war. If you don't want to discuss it, why bother responding?
