Banned Gitmo Reporters Appeal

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McClatchy provides details of the appeal the outlets for four reporters banned from Gitmo for publishing the name of Joshua Claus have made to the Pentagon.

Arguing that a Pentagon order banning four journalists from covering military commissions at Guantánamo Bay was illegal and unconstitutional, The Miami Herald and two Canadian news outlets appealed on Wednesday.

[snip]

In a letter to Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for media operations, [David A.] Schulz [who represents the Canadian papers involved] said the law that created the military commissions leaves such decisions up to a judge.

Further, the reporters did not obtain the name of the witness at the hearing, and it serves no military purpose to ban someone from publishing information that’s already public, Schulz argued.

“Our position remains unchanged: We did not violate any of the court rules for being at Guantánamo,” said Miami Herald Managing Editor Aminda Marques Gonzalez. “I feel confident that once they review the facts that they are going to come to the same conclusion and reverse the order.”

Though I do hope the Canadians are pressuring the Administration about expelling the most knowledgeable Canadian journalists on the Omar Khadr case.
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10 replies
  1. Ruth Calvo says:

    Thanks, the Pentagon bashing news is just another piece of their effort to avoid responsibility for their actions – and change the facts rather than stay within the guidelines given them by our civilian leadership.

    • DWBartoo says:

      “… the guidelines given them by our civilian leadership.”

      The “ultimate” civilian “leader” is Barack Obama.

      What “push-back” have we seen or heard of that suggests that he, the President of the United States of America, is, in any meaningful manner or fashion, “pushing back” against the Pentagon’s decision?

      DW

  2. Leen says:

    Rachel Maddow is the only MSM outlet that I have heard report about this. Although I have not heard Terri (constant repeater of the debunked Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map lie)_Gross’s interview with Spencer

  3. skdadl says:

    It’s odd to me that the G&M isn’t part of this appeal. When I first read “two Canadian news outlets,” I thought that CanWest would be the outlier. (CanWest: think a couple of generations or so removed from Conrad Black.)

    I’m sure the Globe will back Koring; I guess they’re just going their own route. As background: the Star is a Liberal paper (sort of), and Shephard is one of their stars; the Grope and Flail is the haughty Tory paper that all the socialists read. And CanWest is lucky to have Steven Edwards.

    • reader says:

      I am sure, though, to answer ew’s suggestion that the Canadians (the government) would have “questions” about something to do with a Canadian at Gitmo … um, no, actually, Harper & Co. has no interest in Khadr or anything that happens to him and would prefer him to stay at Gitmo.

      It’s an international disgrace, but Harper could care less. In fact, this week the Harper government has essentially said ~ take your Canadian Supreme Court ruling that we must do something -anything- to redress the human rights (Canadian and American) violations in the Khadr case … and shove them where the sun don’t shine!

      And any conservative leaning media outlet probably knows well they should carefully consider just how much complaining they want to do about anything related to Omar Khadr.

  4. Nell says:

    The Pentagon bigfooting in this case is yet another reminder of why military commissions are the wrong way to try persons charged with crimes. As recently as eight or nine years ago, the Democrats who are now our “civilian leaders” seemed to understand that.

  5. Petrocelli says:

    Though I do hope the Canadians are pressuring the Administration about expelling the most knowledgeable Canadian journalists on the Omar Khadr case. – EW

    Thanks for your optimism, Marcy but I expect no such action from our NEOCONinCHIEF. Harper will capitulate to the Pentagon ruling, and prolly also guarantee that no Canadian team will vie for Lord Stanley’s Cup, while he’s PM.

  6. Hmmm says:

    Here’s along reach in service of optimism for ya: Came from the Pentagon, did it? Any chance this is Gates doing what he can to discredit the MCs and push these things over into Article III courts?

  7. Jeff Kaye says:

    There’s also this (H/T Carol Rosenberg’s Twitter):

    National Press Club Condemns Pentagon Barring of Reporters

    WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –The National Press Club condemned Monday a recent decision by Defense Department officials to ban four reporters from covering military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba….

    “The Pentagon decision to bar these reporters is unwarranted, given that the information was already widely known,” said Alan Bjerga, president of the National Press Club. “This action serves no purpose other than preventing experienced reporters from doing their jobs.”

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