Very disappointing news, and a direct contrast to Pres. Obama's campaign promises:
President Barack Obama is expected to announce on Friday the resumption of the use of military tribunals on Guantanamo prisoners, a system implemented by his predecessor that he had criticized and halted only hours after taking office on Jan. 20.
Obama will revive military trials, according to reports, but terror suspects will have more rights to defend themselves than under the system of the Bush administration.[...]
"The military commissions are built on unconstitutional premises and designed to ensure convictions, not provide fair trials. Reducing some but not all of the flaws of the tribunals so that they are 'less offensive' is not acceptable," ACLU Anthony Romero said in a statement.
Obama has been under growing pressure to provide a "comprehensive plan" about how he will shut down Guantanamo without risking the nation's safety. Democrats this week had approved his request for funding for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq without the $80 million he had asked to cover costs of shutting down the facility.
There has also been tension with rights groups such as ACLU, who called his reversal this week of a decision to release photos of detainees in Afghanistan and Iraq a "betrayal" and "adoption" of Bush administration policies.
Change-iness?
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