Barack Obama orders closure of Guantanamo

Mushroom Queen · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 12:52 pm

Here's the story:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKN22513123

I was quite amazed at the quickness of the decision, but I think it's ultimately a good move. Detainees have been held up in there with little or no legal representation for years and it would greatly improve America's standing with the world if they finally allowed them to leave. However, it seems that none of their home countries really wants to take them in for asylum.

Do you think it was a good idea to close Guantanamo?

Adbot · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 12:52 pm

Marco · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 1:40 pm

Good idea. Makes it so that the US won't have any scandals, and sends a few troops home.

Kylescorpion · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 1:45 pm

It will be ironic if somehow well somehow need it in the future.. not saying we should ever need it....... just never know, but yes it was a good idea.

Shreder · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 3:17 pm

It's a good idea if the place we put them is actually secure.
but i have a feeling if we close it down there willbe a terrorist attack in the near future.

power crazy · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 4:36 pm

This is a great idea, the last thing that we need is more accusations of torture being put on the soldiers at Guantanamo Bay. Water boarding IS torture and we need it to stop.

Matthew · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 5:44 pm

I agree. This is a really good move. Only change of his I'm not looking forward to is the FOCA

Adbot · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 5:44 pm

jointntoday · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 5:55 pm

so where are we going to put these people now? if we just let them run free they are going to go back to what got them there...

i dunno, just doesnt seem like the best idea...

colinsoccer123 · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 8:56 pm

He didn't actually close it, just postponed the military hearings for four months. Maybe now we can get our Canadian citizen back from the illegal prison camp and stop him from being tortured.

@Joint They'll just to go the US to have fair and legal trials, with transparency.

Phresh Phob · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 10:08 pm

Ya I do. I can recall a story in the news about an Afghan Taxi Driver being detained in the prison since 01-02. They held several trials for the guy and the supreme court found him innocent. Though the Bush Administration just kept him in Guantanamo anyways.

Chi Meng · **Posted:** January 22nd, 2009, 10:31 pm

Marco wrote:

Good idea. Makes it so that the US won't have any scandals, and sends a few troops home.

No ones going home. He's sending more troops to Afghanistan. My unit is set to deploy to Iraq in August 09, but Obama may send our unit to Afghanistan. He wants 3 brigades in by summer. And wants to double the number of forces in Afghanistan. Closing Guantanamo will make us look better but will do us no good.

Earth · **Posted:** January 23rd, 2009, 6:35 am

i think it is a great idea.

CreepyPirate · **Posted:** January 23rd, 2009, 6:49 am

Meh, it was in place to protect people. Problem with terrorists is there not just another criminal, it takes months of intel to even begin to prove there planning to blow **** up and by the time you've done that there plan might of been put into action.

Isn't like any other crime, how do you prove someones going to blow themselves up? I don't agree with how they was treated but if they need to be locked up while people try to gather evidence then so be it.

Gontcha · **Posted:** January 23rd, 2009, 6:56 am

I don't know, Guantanamo had some sort of attention, checks, but now, the U.S. will ship those inmates to secret bases and god know what will happen to them. Closing Guantanamo won't solve anything.

Rodsay · **Posted:** January 23rd, 2009, 7:50 am

I understand he is closing other 'secret' holding locations also, some of them outside of the US and therefore not under US legal ethics, as Guantanamo has not been.

It had to be closed and the people charged and/or dealt with legally; not have quasi-legislation rushed through to fit the desires of the hawks, or try and say it was OK to act in the way the military authorities did there, as it was outside of US legislative ruling and jurisdiction.

It will go down in history as one of the USA's most shameful actions and I believe Guantanamo will have gained far more supporters for the radical groups than they could ever have hoped for otherwise. It made the world a more dangerous place for all of us.

My opinion anyway

Jasonmrc · **Posted:** January 23rd, 2009, 11:55 am

Where are all those prisoners going? Right here onto our soil.

Creepy wrote:

Problem with terrorists is there not just another criminal

Exactly. We can't put them in our prisons because they won't mind killing themselves so long as they take a couple hundred others with them.

I heard on the news that there were three or so options right now: Send them to foreign prisons, put them in our prisons, and those who are found innocent by US courts are let free on our streets. If any of those prisoners are released on our soil they won't exist to our government. They'll have no ID. They'll most likely find a Black Market dealer or communicate to their HQ in the Middle East and start planning another terror attack.

As for torture, that's a part of war. They started it, we have to finish it. When they capture our soldiers do they give them a soda and a Xbox? No, they torture them. Whether by meaningful torture or just starvation, they don't treat our soldiers humanely. We have to learn of their movements so we can counter them, torture is sometimes the only way.

If the Middle Eastern people don't want to be tortured when we capture them then they need to flee the country or surrender before they fire.

These are my opinions, I know some people may not agree with them. That's fine, everyone has a right to their own opinion.