Obama Orders Guantanamo Closure

[Muhsin]

Barack Obama, the US president, has ordered the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp within one year and a review of the military tribunals set up by the Bush administration to try them.

Obama also signed an order ending the harsh interrogation of prisoners held by the US and requiring investigators to comply with the Geneva Conventions.

On his second full day in office, Obama signed the three orders surrounded by retired military officers in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington.

Obama said the signing of the order showed "we are willing to observe core standards, not just when its easy but when its hard".

"The message that we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism," Obama said.

"We are going to do so vigilantly; we are going to do so effectively; and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals."

Obama had promised to close the detention centre during his election campaign.

Guantanamo was set up by the Bush administration in 2002 to hold prisoners it detained as part of its so-called war on terror.

The US president also said he was setting up a task force that would have 30 days to recommend policies on handling "terror" suspects who are detained in future.

The force would look at where those detainees should be held instead of Guantanamo.

On Thursday, Obama had ordered a halt to military tribunals of al-Qaeda suspects held at the camp, including those suspected of involvement in the September 11 attacks.

The order ending harsh interrogations also requires that all interrogations follow the US Army's Field Manual interrogation guidelines, which ban the use of techniques such as "waterboarding," which simulates the sensation of drowning.

It also ends US government reliance on a series of controversial legal advice notes on the treatment of prisoners drawn up by Bush administration advisers.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/am, 150709233.html



Obama, Obama, Obama. ::)

I am skeptical but if he does the right thing I will be the first to commend him for it. Thus I think that gesture is good. My compliment.

[EMTL]

Assalamu alaikum,
Yes, closing of Quantanamo-bay is one of the many things that we expect to be done to right the wrongs the Bush man did.

[usman11]

Yes, but last week you were all insulting this great African American leader and calling him names for his lack of comment during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yesterday, President Obama did issue a policy statement regarding Israel and the Palestinians amongst other things. Maybe you all should search for the briefing and read or listen to what he said. Thereafter, you should withdraw your ill tempered and hasty criticism of him.

[waduz]

Mccain said recently, that "closing guantanamo is the easiest thing......" I see it as the beginning of healing the battered relationship between the moslems of the mideast and the U.S., hopefully.