DESPITE FAILING TO CLOSE THE GUANTANAMO BAY DETENTION CAMP BY JANUARY 18, BARACK OBAMA BROUGHT SOME HOPE THAT HE STILL STANDS BY HIS PROMISE LAST THURSDAY WHEN HE INVITED AMERICANS, DURING HIS FIRST STATE OF THE UNION SINCE ELECTED, TO âREJECT THE FALSE CHOICE BETWEEN PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE AND UPHOLDING OUR VALUESâ IN A CLEAR REFERENCE TO THE CONTROVERSIAL HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD OF HIS PREDECESSOR GEORGE BUSH.
HUMAN RIGHTS, HOWEVER, MAY NOT BE THE MAIN REASON FOR THE EFFORT TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO BAY, AS POLL AFTER POLL HAVE INDICATED THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC REMAINS SPLIT ON THE USE OF TORTURE AND CLOSING THE CAMP.
THE MOVE, RATHER, MAY BE AN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL IMAGE. YESTERDAY, THE MADRID DAILY EL PAIS REPORTED THAT SPANISH JUDGE BALTAZAR GARZON WOULD REOPEN A PROBE ON ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE AT GUANTANAMO BAY.
THIS PAST THURSDAY, REVOLUTION BOOKS IN MAHATTAN SPONSORED A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH TWO ATTORNEYS WHO ASSISTED GUANTANAMO DETAINEES WHO FACED TRIAL IN THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS. WBAI FRED NGUYEN WAS THERE AND HE FILES THIS REPORT:
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