home

Hillary Asks Spain to Take Some Guantanamo Detainees

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the Foreign Minister of Spain and asked him to help the U.S. by accepting some released Guantanamo detainees:

Mr Moratinos said Mrs Clinton had asked him for "help in solving this drama, this unacceptable tragedy of the prisoners at Guantanamo".

His response:

"We are prepared to cooperate. Our teams will make contact to legally study each case on a case by case basis," he told Spanish media.

In addition:

Mr Moratinos said the meeting with Mrs Clinton heralded "a new stage in relations between the United States and Spain is opening that is more intense, more productive".

Well done. It's been too long since we had an effective Secretary of State.

< Tuesday Afternoon Open Thread | Obama's Address To Congress Live Blog >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    It looks like... (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by Steve M on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 06:45:32 PM EST
    this meeting was actually with the Foreign Minister of Spain, not the President.  Perhaps a detail, but I thought I'd note.

    Our relationship with Spain was famously frosty during the Bush Administration after they elected a Socialist government and withdrew their troops from Iraq.  It's nice to see us reboot the relationship in a more adult way.

    you are correct (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:24:29 PM EST
    I fixed it, thanks.

    Parent
    In Condi and Colin's defense. . . (5.00 / 1) (#5)
    by atlanta lawyer on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:27:07 PM EST
    I'm sure it helps to work for president who doesn't completely marginalize the State Department.  Not to diminish Hillary's accomplishments at all.

    They knew who they were working for, (none / 0) (#6)
    by Inspector Gadget on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:31:44 PM EST
    and Condi, especially, thought he was a mighty force. She wouldn't think she needed a defense. She honored his wishes because she agreed wholeheartedly with them. Powell, on the other hand, did too, but once he found himself becoming a caricature he left to save face. Doesn't mean he didn't continue to share the administration's views, though.


    Parent
    Powell (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Spamlet on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 07:37:57 PM EST
    once he found himself becoming a caricature he left to save face. Doesn't mean he didn't continue to share the administration's views, though.

    Or that he actually did save face.

    Parent

    lol (none / 0) (#9)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 08:42:16 PM EST
    Bush and Condi were married.

    Parent
    you mean, (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by cpinva on Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 12:12:14 AM EST
    It's been too long since we had an effective Secretary of State.

    you didn't think condoleeza rice did a splendiferous job? i mean, she's so smart and all!

    well, actually, i was always underwhelmed by ms. rice. she struck me as someone who rarely had an original thought, and never let her mind be cluttered by annoying facts.

    that she was in agreement with the bush administration policies merely demonstrates what an empty intellectual vessel she truly is.

    what a waste of a good education she turned out to be.

    Gravitas (none / 0) (#8)
    by Missblu on Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 08:14:09 PM EST
    (Specifically dignity, seriousness, and duty.)Wikipedia.

    She is the reason I am sleeping well again.

    Effective? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Wed Feb 25, 2009 at 09:31:42 AM EST
    "We are prepared to cooperate. Our teams will make contact to legally study each case on a case by case basis," he told Spanish media.

    This is diplo-speak for "No for now, maybe later."  

    If this is an effective Secretary of State, what would she have been if they had said. "Yes, we will take 50 of them straight away.