Dreaming Paris

I was going to just email this, but then I thought, heck, I haven't posted much of substance lately (not that this can be called much of substance, either), so why don't I just make a blog post out of it? Anway, Dr Zen twittered

http://is.gd/A5kk Plus ca change... Another Bush policy cemented in place.

So here are my thoughts: The article cited states this: the restrictions on evidence will almost certainly mean only a fraction of those held will go to trial. The rest of the detainees would either be released, transferred to other countries or tried in civilian courts, officials said. If there are prisoners in Guantanamo for whom they have proof of crimes of war, and if the inhumane treatment and torture is stopped and they are allowed their own lawyers, why is this a bad thing? If only this administration saw to it that Bush and co. were tried, too, for their own war crimes. It seems to me as if Obama is trying to find a road through all this that doesn't set politicians on their ears, but does allow for some justice. By making the documents about the torture public, he gives "the people" a weapon to use to bring Bush and others to justice without having to involve his administration in a fight that could be lost and that could tie his hands in other areas that are important to him for the good of the country as a whole. It's basically up to us to push for consequences now. In all the decisions that Obama has made so far as he navigates the waters of Washington, I see a man trying to bring the boat on course without completely flipping it over. I, of course, want to see us get out of the Middle East completely, which he won't do. He has never said that he'd do that. His argument has always been against the how and the where of our conflict over there, but never that we shouldn't try to do something about the attack on our country and the threat of people like Bin Laden. I wish he could acknowledge that we've done enough, bring our troops home, regroup, and work on defending this country from this end and giving it a good name around the world. We'd have much more bargaining power and credibility in human rights situations in other places that way. I'm wondering if he thinks he needs to show himself as aggressive in some things in order to gain the support of Republicans for other things that he wants. I know Zen believes that now the Dems are in power, they should simply bulldoze over the Reps as quickly as possible, bringing social reform, especially as the Reps were quite good at bulldozing over our rights and protestations while they were in power, acting as though the Prez and his minions were emperor and nobles above the rule of law instead of elected servants of the people. But I don't see how our country can grow in a healthy way if our two parties don't try to find common ground wherever they can. A house divided and all that. I don't agree with all of Obama's policies, but I do believe he's sincere in wanting to find that common ground. I do not envy him this task, especially at this time in our history.