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Georgetown Law Center
Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown Law School; former Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice (2009-2011); former US Program Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch
PROFILE
Jennifer Daskal
Guest
FROM Jennifer Daskal
To the Point
Does the US Still Need the Prison at Guantanamo Bay? Barack Obama's first presidential order was to close Guantánamo Bay. Even George W. Bush agreed. But as he began his second term in January of this year, the special envoy for closing Guantánamo was dismissed without a replacement, and 166 prisoners are still there. More than half are on a hunger strike and, last week, military guards put down an uprising. We hear what classified documents reveal about inmate behavior and abusive treatment of prisoners being held without charge. Is there still a "war on terror" requiring military tribunals? Will there be future "enemy combatants" too dangerous to handle in America's court system? (Special thanks to Leilia Thayer for help in producing this discussion.)
To the Point
Guantanamo: The War on Terror and the Rule of Law President Bush ’ s claims of executive power over terrorist suspects have run into more trouble in both civilian and military courts. Last week, two military judges ruled that a Presidential order is not enough to give them jurisdiction over the prisoners held atGuantánamo Bay. Yesterday, a federal appellate court said the President cannot hold a civilian suspect without charge by calling him an "enemy combatant." Judge Diana Gribbon Motz said that would have "disastrous consequences for the Constitution -- and the country. " Colin Powell wants to close Guantánamo , "not tomorrow but this afternoon." What ’ s the point of keeping it open? Are the White House and the Pentagon trying to protect interrogation techniques that may be counter-productive?
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To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.