May 20, 2009 12:45pm
GOP Senator on Un-harsh Life At Gitmo: ‘Anyone Over 55 Can Have a Colonoscopy’
EmailABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf reports that on Capitol Hill, during a GOP presser in which Senators were talking about the need to keep the detainee center at Guantanamo Bay open, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., argued that "anyone, any detainee, over 55 has an opportunity to have a colonoscopy" as an example of how un-harsh life at Gitmo can be. "Now none of them take ‘em up on it, because once they explain what it is, none of them want to do it," Inhofe said. "But nonetheless it’s an opprtunity that they have." – jpt
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
That is very funny.
Posted by: Plumber | May 20, 2009, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
Thank you Sen. Inhofe for exposing the fact the US is willing to give these horrible “terrorist” which we had to torture, according to Republicans because they were so evil, all the healthcare they need, but million upon millions of Americans are denied that very same coverage.
Posted by: Perspective | May 20, 2009, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
Republican rationalization in a nutshell.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
Why didn’t Sen. Inhofe also mention the sandwiches they feed the inmates at Gitmo, while he’s at it? That’s the predicate to the colonoscopy.
Posted by: Keith | May 20, 2009, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
Wow, Inhofe is a riot. Do a little research on this guy:
When the Murrah Building was bombed on April 19, 1995, Inhofe was asked how many people worked in the building. Ah-ha! A chance to bash the unions! He said, “It depends on how many federal workers played hookey today.”
“the best way we can support our troops is to keep them out of Kosovo, out of a protracted war that, in my opinion, we are not going to end up winning.”
But once it was a Republican in the Whitehouse? Well then:
“I’d like to have the American people solidly behind the president. But again, if the president has to do it, he has to do it.”
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
I haven’t taken my doctor up on it either.
I bet they get fed too.
Posted by: Thinking | May 20, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
So, some are allowed to refuse torture?
Posted by: N.O'Really | May 20, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
With or without the broom handle!!! lol (yes I know it is crude but..)
Posted by: tjsillsga | May 20, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
That scope can lead to confessions and valuable information gathering.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 20, 2009, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
We could use Gitmo as a model for a comprehensive U.S. healthcare plan.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 20, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
MNM – One is in a war zone with an active war and actual combat taking place. The other is a Naval base on the island of Cuba.
The “whining and sanctimony” award belongs to you.
Posted by: JP | May 20, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
Posted by: linus bern | May 20, 2009 1:16:30 PM
I’ll ask you to prove that ANY EIT’s were carried out at Gitmo.
Posted by: drjohn | May 20, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
“The detainees from the US Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba were treated better than prisoners in Belgium jails an expert from Europe’s largest security organization has concluded.”
Posted by: drjohn | May 20, 2009, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
drjohn: I took the original poster’s comment to be a joke, and a pretty good one.
But according to a Senate Armed Services Committee report, on December 2002 a memo signed by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved the use of “aggressive techniques” at Guantanamo Bay.
A bit more tenuous is the recent document unearthed in a FOIA request:
‘A March 22, 2005, sworn statement by the former chief of the Interrogation Control Element at Guantánamo that said instructors from SERE also taught their methods to interrogators of the prisoners in Cuba.
“When I arrived at GTMO,” reads the statement, “my predecessor arranged for SERE instructors to teach their techniques to the interrogators at GTMO … The instructors did give some briefings to the Joint Interrogation Group interrogators.”‘
Because we all know just how vitally important this nitpicking detail is in the bigger picture.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Guantanamo prison is “well-run now,” with no signs of inmate mistreatment, but the Obama administration remains determined to close it, Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday after a visit this week.”
Posted by: drjohn | May 20, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
MNM:”It took more than a decade,is ongoing still, but of course the media was silent over this quagmire Clinton dragged us into.”
So how many of our boys have been killed due to hostilities (car crashes and such happen regardless of where they’re stationed) in Kosovo in the last five years? Do you think maybe, just maybe, that’s why it’s not a big media story? Sorta like the troops stationed in Germany, Korea, Japan, etc.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
MNM – One is in a war zone with an active war and actual combat taking place. The other is a Naval base on the island of Cuba.
Posted by: JP | May 20, 2009 1:21:37 PM
=======
And yet those not caught on that battlefield are being transferred there.
I would wager that given a choice they would all run for the first transport vessel to to to club gitmo.
The looney left wing ACLU (the one who defends child molesters too) made the comparison, so you cannot attribute it to republicans.
Dems are always hypocrites. Somehow they always manage to declare but this is different , so it is OK when we do it. A distinction without a difference I believe they call it.
As Pelosi has now inserted both feet in her mouth the public is becoming aware that the dems have lied all along. They were in an advise and consent position and lied for political gain and to falsely gin up Bush hatred.
Your web is becoming undone. It may take time but bit by bit the massive media/dem fraud is being exposed.
Posted by: MNM | May 20, 2009, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
“But according to a Senate Armed Services Committee report, on December 2002 a memo signed by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved the use of “aggressive techniques” at Guantanamo Bay.”
So when was the prison at Gitmo built?
I think it was in 2006.
And when were any of these guys transferred to Gitmo?
It sure wasn’t in 2002. They were held overseas.
Posted by: drjohn | May 20, 2009, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
MNM:”Your web is becoming undone. It may take time but bit by bit the massive media/dem fraud is being exposed.”
Bring it on. Full investigation of the torture program devised and implemented by the last Republican administration with the consent of a Republican majority Congress. I can’t wait for ALL the details to come out (and who cares about Pelosi – Speakers always go down in flames).
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
drjohn:”So when was the prison at Gitmo built?
I think it was in 2006.
And when were any of these guys transferred to Gitmo?
It sure wasn’t in 2002. They were held overseas.”
There you go again, trying to rewrite history to fit your right wing fantasy. Camp X-ray was operational in 2002 to hold high value terrorist suspects and was replaced mid-year by the more permanent Camp Delta. Heck, the iconic picture of terrorist kneeling wearing orange garb on the gravel between two high wire fences? Camp X-ray in Guantanamo Bay.
Does this documented fact, that
terrorist detainees were indeed held at the Guantanamo Bay base in 2002, have any impact on your opinion?
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
So how many of our boys have been killed due to hostilities (car crashes and such happen regardless of where they’re stationed) in Kosovo in the last five years? Do you think maybe, just maybe, that’s why it’s not a big media story? Sorta like the troops stationed in Germany, Korea, Japan, etc.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009 1:32:18 PM
——–
No I don’t think so. And in fact this is far different from simply stationing troops. There were ongoing battles and skirmishes, and even accusations of Nato supported genocide during this time.
I think they kept their mouths shut because it was Clinton, and I will give you 2 more examples from battles of that region specifically.
1.When Clinton intruded into the Yugoslavian mess, at Europes behest, he thought it would be over quickly and sent insufficient troops and equiptment. Initially that led to more genocide and 2 million refugees running and starving and what we call “crimes of humanity, rapes , torture etc.”.
I believe it was Wesley Clark who mistakenly thought they would be so intimidated they would not fight back.
The refugees , 2 million strong, were suffering over this abject miscalculation and stupidity.
Bill and Hill went over there, sat and cried with them and the media told us how wonderful they were and how much they cared.
Can you imagine if Bush had been responsible for such a massive screw up.
2. We “accidently” bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia.
The media helped sell the excuse Clinton gave that “we had the wrong address”.
Golly gee whiz, our information was just out of date.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!
The chinese tension and standoff was considerable and culminated in the american military plane shot at disabled, and held for ransom shortly after GWB took office, of course the media forgot to connect the dots on that oo.
Posted by: MNM | May 20, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
MNM: tl;dr You accused the media of covering up the Kosovo “quagmire.” I was merely pointing out the absurdity of your delusion that Kosovo, a relatively easy posting, deserves the same level of media attention as Iraq.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm
MNM says “As Pelosi has now inserted both feet in her mouth the public is becoming aware that the dems have lied all along. They were in an advise and consent position and lied for political gain and to falsely gin up Bush hatred.
Your web is becoming undone. It may take time but bit by bit the massive media/dem fraud is being exposed.”
*****************************
Dang! You give new meaning to the word DRAMA! What web? The past administration is the one that opened Bagram and transferred detainees there. As long as Obama gets the facility in compliance with international law (a new concept for some people) like he is Gitmo, it should be fine. The shame is Obama has to deal with it at all.
Pelosi in one CIA briefing, the content of which has been disputed by several others lawmakers, as well does not change the fact the previous administration tortured and broke the law.
With or without Pelosi, it does not change a thing! You can scream Pelosi all you want but the elephant (no pun intended) is LITERALLY still in the room.
Posted by: JP | May 20, 2009, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
Bring it on. Full investigation of the torture program devised and implemented by the last Republican administration with the consent of a Republican majority Congress. I can’t wait for ALL the details to come out (and who cares about Pelosi – Speakers always go down in flames).
Posted by: jhw539 | May 20, 2009 1:35:19 PM
——-
Yip yip yahoo, lets have at it. The dems will be under oath and forced to admit their complicity in all of this.
Lets replay all the video of their support, when it was publicly popular.
Lets replay the tape of Clinton CIA director George Tenet telling the public that he told George Bush that the intelligence on Weapons of Mass destruction was “a slam dunk sir”.
Lets grill Sandy Berger, Clinton secretary of state about what papers he stole from the national archives, using his security clearance.
Lets ask Clinton why he was so petty and small that when Bush took office they refused to actually brief them on national security and other issues and simply handed them massive paperwork that they were forced to sort through themselves to get up and running . That of course is the main reason GWB went to such trouble to set up a process for transition that requires a series of briefings by current officials.
Lets pinpoint the false claims of Bush lied, because they don’t hold up.
Posted by: MNM | May 20, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Dang! You give new meaning to the word DRAMA! What web? The past administration is the one that opened Bagram and transferred detainees there. As long as Obama gets the facility in compliance with international law (a new concept for some people) like he is Gitmo, it should be fine. The shame is Obama has to deal with it at all.
Pelosi in one CIA briefing, the content of which has been disputed by several others lawmakers, as well does not change the fact the previous administration tortured and broke the law.
With or without Pelosi, it does not change a thing! You can scream Pelosi all you want but the elephant (no pun intended) is LITERALLY still in the room.
Posted by: JP | May 20, 2009 1:49:18 PM
——-
Pelosi’s exposure is only the tip of the iceberg and forces any thinking person to question all of this.
The republicans aren’t complaining over Bagram, but the dems, up in arms over club gitmo, because they could brand Bush in a political manner over this, were part of the advise and consent as well when it first began, as the video’s tell us. All current dem lies not with standing
Now they are silent while Obama uses Bagram, including opportunities for rendition, which he also falsely decried.
Political opportunism in the democrat party has superceded any and all concerns for the security of the US.
Dems whine about what Bush did but were complicit and if you question that remember they are continuing the same policies.
So Bush war RIGHT in the first place.
Posted by: MNM | May 20, 2009, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
That puts them one up on the average dude in the UK or Canada.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | May 20, 2009, 2:09 pm 2:09 pm
hopefully Inhofe takes advantage of his own colonoscopy (maybe they will find his next comment in his descending colon).
Posted by: Paul Wall | May 20, 2009, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
Nice to know the Government can run such a great health care program. These quotes need to be thrown back in their faces every time they try to block single payer.
Posted by: runfastandwin | May 20, 2009, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
Not only are colonoscopies and other free health benefits offered to the inmates, but they also have the advantage of a clean and tropical envrironment according to other proponents like Mr. Inhofe. I think it would be appropriate if he and the others went there for a combination checkup and vacation in the tropics.
Posted by: kat | May 20, 2009, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
“hopefully Inhofe takes advantage of his own colonoscopy (maybe they will find his next comment in his descending colon).”
or his head…..
Posted by: JP | May 20, 2009, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Those stupid evil Republicans just bullied the Senate into voting down funds to close Gitmo……..by a vote of 90 to 6.
Rush and Cheney are even more evil than we thought.
Posted by: Code Pink | May 20, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
Gitmo detainees are proof of the power of prayer.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 20, 2009, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
Another proud Republican graduate of Emmet Kelly’s Clown College.
Posted by: Sammy | May 20, 2009, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
In response to: Posted by: Code Pink | May 20, 2009 3:46:10 PM
“Those stupid evil Republicans just bullied the Senate into voting down funds to close Gitmo……..by a vote of 90 to 6.
***************************************
THESE ARE THE FACTS:
WASHINGTON-TODAY – In a rare,BIPARTISAN defeat for President Barack Obama, the Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open for the foreseeable future and forbid the transfer of any detainees to facilities in the United States. DEMOCRATS LINED UP WITH REBPUBLICANS IN A 90-6 VOTE. There was no suspense in the moments leading to the Senate vote, Although DEMOCRATS maneuvered to take political credit for denying Obama funds he sought to close the prison. They hoped to negate weeks of Republican warnings about the danger involved. **** What’s up with the name calling if you are so compassionate and peace loving? If this CodePink and you are not the same as below, then my apologies to you. But you do need to get your facts correct either way.
***************************************
From CodePink Website:CODEPINK rejects foreign policies based on domination and aggression, and instead calls for policies based on DIPLOMACY, COMPASSION and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on JOY and HUMOR, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.
Posted by: d | May 20, 2009, 9:43 pm 9:43 pm
why:
why do american politicians always want to do more for the rest of the world than americans?
why are politicians from both parties so anti-american citizen?
why are american politicans so will to let large segments of society rot?
Posted by: zzz | May 21, 2009, 12:31 am 12:31 am
MNM
Bush was responsible for ‘such a massive screw-up’.. it’s called Iraq
I’ll even throw Bush’s ignoring of Hurricane Katrina’s devastating effects on New Orleans
for 5 days as another example of your ‘massive screw-up’.
Posted by: Dewde | May 21, 2009, 12:35 am 12:35 am
MNM
re: ‘ginned up Bush hatred’
I think that Bush ‘hatred’ as you describe it was demonstrated by the American electorate in 2006 and 2008 by kicking, with a very firm and swift motion, Republicans out of office.
Posted by: Dewde | May 21, 2009, 12:41 am 12:41 am
I guess when Bush & Co set up Gitmo they showed that they were willing to do more and show more concern for the well being of the prisoners than they were for the American people.
Posted by: Oh Yeah | May 21, 2009, 12:45 am 12:45 am