E.U. Willing to Help U.S. on Guantanamo

[babylonsister]

E.U. Willing to Help U.S. on Guantanamo
But Many Nations Are Wary About Taking Inmates

By Craig Whitlock
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, January 27, 2009; Page A12


BERLIN, Jan. 26 -- European diplomats said Monday that they are willing to help the Obama administration empty the prison at Guantanamo Bay, but stopped short of making specific promises to give inmates new homes in Europe.

Foreign ministers from the 27 members of the European Union met in Brussels to discuss possible ways to resettle Guantanamo prisoners, following President Obama's pledge last week to close the detention center within a year. The session marked an about-face for the European Union, which had long refused requests from the Bush administration to give asylum or refugee status to prisoners who had been cleared for release.

"This is an American problem that they have to solve, but we'll be ready to help if necessary," Javier Solana, the European Union's commissioner for foreign and security affairs, told reporters. "Whenever they ask for help, I think the European answer will be 'Yes.'"

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012600419.html

[Lucky 13]

1. fan-freaking-tastic

:applause:

[FrenchieCat]

2. "Change"

[KharmaTrain]

3. More Reasons Why Elections Matter, Sis...

Call it the Obama dividend...or the booooshie hang-over. The days of cowboy diplomacy is over...the adults are back in charge. Many of our allies were so alienated by this regime or bullied it added to the messes this regime was piling up. Our allies didn't trust us...and they saw that going along with boooosh was political suicide or worse. One week ago, that all changed...the stench of boooosh had lifted.

I've long felt our ticket out of both Iraq and Afghanistan went through as many European and Middle Eastern capitals as posible. Our problem is we still need to mend those fences and it won't be easy. It's not only going to be getting out of these countries, but what's left behind...and our responsibility. What do we owe the Iraqi and Afghan people for "bringing democracy" to their countries? What responsibility will we have for whatever happens in those countries after we're gone? And can we count on other countries...especially those in the region to cover our asses on the way out and help us with answering those other questions...which, in turn, will help all of us. But then that's what using diplomacy is about...something that's been missing since 2001...it's gonna take a bit of getting used to.

Cheers...

[TheDebbieDee]

4. Well, lookie there. Europeans offer to help us out

now that we have a President that doesn't want to make war against everybody!

[Middle finga]

5. The repubs still think it's a bad idea, I swear they are an evil bunch

Obama should just ignore the repubs on this one and just work with the Europeans to close this stain on our country. And bush should pay for all this mess he's caused

[spanone]

6. there you go!!!