There’s no reason to believe the US government and its people will be significantly less imperialistic, corrupt, dishonest, ignorant, murderous, destructive, greedy, racist, sexist and hateful because Democrats are in charge.

Sorry for not being Mr. Happy Optimistic Guy.

I agree that making an unwaivering attempt to change is worth more than apologies. For now, though, the world IS on Obama’s side, for the most part…hope is apparently contagious.

A French colleague of mine just mentioned to me at lunch how the entire French press is basking in the glorious Obamian sun, they love the guy. Of course, that’s not hard to believe after tolerating his dip shit predecessor for the past eight years.

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Tree,

thanks for the props, and I concur with you, many are looking for someone else to fix things for them. What they may not realize is that if they don’t put forth the effort and hold their Pres’ feet to the fire, not much will get done.

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Max,

you’re welcome, and right back at you for your consistent comments on this site.

Apparently the order was signed this morning to close Gitmo within a year, according to personal sources…haven’t had time to catch up with the day’s news as of yet. Why does it have to wait a year, though, is my question? And more importantly, when will he lift the Cuban embargo, and free the Cuban five? As lichen and rosemarie astutely identify, prisoners will just be shipped off somewhere outside of kicking distance. The move is at least symbolic for other leaders of this hemisphere.

Sorry about the initial goof in my article’s introduction…gotta slow down and proof better.

Best to all.

thank you for your contribution to DV.

As to the question of Gitmo closing by weeks’ end, the answer is no. If Obama signs off (which may or may not have happened yet) it’s my understanding it will be a year before that happens. That means for one year people will be held in confinement without due process during the Obama administration.

We must overcome Reaganism (corporate state restoration) by becoming more like the Reaganites, and where we can’t handle dissent, we’ll just simply throw it out of the room. When it won’t leave, we’ll use phasers. If it gets too loud, we’ll kill it.

Until we do apologize, and until we drastically change our way of life, there’s not much chance that the international community will be on “our” side.

Mass murder, absurd greed and consumerism, exploitation of cheap labor, destruction of the environment…put an end to all of that and then we’ll be well on our way to making things right.

Of course Gitmo is just the tip, I agree, and prisoners would just be located somewhere that’s not only farther away, but also farther to moniter…out of sight, out of mind, so to speak. That’s somewhat of a no-brainer.

However, and quite critical, it would be the most immediate, symbolic gesture Obama could make out of the gates to get the international community on his side even more. Reparations have to be made now, not later. Let the Cubans have their sovereignty, it would clear an easier path for diplomacy with Latin America. If Obama overlooks this gesture, the neighbors to the south will make their objection heard loud and clear. Just wait and see.

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John Hatch,

I appreciate your support, and I won’t be surprised when pigs grow wings.

Thanks, and best to all.