Don't ever turn those murderers free. They killed 3000 Americans, have you forgotten?

Ernest, what proof do you have? Bush/Cheney's word? If they are murderers, put them on trial and sentence them. The USA doesn't hold political prisoners, and the USA doesn't hold people indefinitely with no formal charges. Amendment 8 : “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

This should be the first thing Obama does. Guantanamo is a terrible error in judgment, and a symbol to the world of American abuse of power. Close Guantanamo, expedite fair and thorough trials, and mete out justice in an enlightened and honorable way. We cannot present ourselves as a true 21st Century society until we've put this sorry episode behind us.

GUANTANAMO SHOULD BE CLOSED ASAP...BUSH WILL LEAVE THAT TASK FOR OBAMA TO DO AS MANY OTHERS.  I WENT TO TORTUREINGDEMOCRACY.ORG AND VIEWED A DOCUMENTARY SHOWING HOW MANY OF THOSE PRISONERS THERE ARE BEING HELD WITH NO FORMAL CHARGES AND THE TORTURE THAT BUSH/CHENEY HAS ALLOWED....WATERBOARDING...FOR ONE CHECK IT OUT!

Ernest is mostly correct.  The scum in Guantanamo are both directly and indirectly responsible for the murder of innocent Americans on 9/11/01.

Close Guantanamo immediately and start working to give the base back to Cuba.  We should not occupy any part of a foreign country.

Just close it.

Update: article from Huffington Post on Obama team's plans re: Guantanamo prison: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/10/obama-plans-guantanamo-cl_n_142593.html

Its only hurting the United States to not abide by International Law. We should set an example for the rest of the world.

It'll be interesting to see how these prisoners are tried. Are there any precedents for this sort of criminal court being set up?

Lets get the rest of the detainees military tribunal, treat them as official prisoners of war.....

Or are we still expecting them to "break under pressure" and tell us where Saddam's WMDs are?

Guantanamo Bay needs to be closed immediately.  The things that have gone on here are a blot on the history of our country. If these people are guilty of crimes, they need to be brought to trial - in a public, transparent and inherently fair way.  Now what are we going to do when it turns out we have imprisoned and tortured people who are found to be guilty of no crime?  How can we make reparations for these atrocities?  I am an American who has never agreed with these actions and I do not want them continued in my name for one more minute or ever again.

Ernest, if I am arrested, it doesn't make me guilty.

Hell, if I was arrested kneeling over a dead body with a bloody kitchen knife in my hand it still doesn't make me guilty. And even if after I was arrested, the investigation found that I had previously murdered a bunch of folk it still doesn't make me guilty.

I am innocent.

I am innocent, and entitled to enjoy the same inalienable birthrights bestowed on you by God and protected for the last 232 years by the labours of our commonwealth and the courage of those who have stood to protect the values of our social contract.

I am innocent until declared guilty by a jury of my peers.

Sure, there may be the odd bad guy in Guantanamo, and yes, it's possible some were involved in attacks on Americans but equally, those cells are filled with men who just happen to look like someone the authorities were after or even those unfortunate enough to just be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Charge and try these men or set them free.

This is far from a national or world priority! Why are you getting so many votes. This is a no brainer and it will hapen. Please read my site because it is urgent and a necessity.

greg

Bring charges against them , if they have substance then run
them through the system , but close the fricken camp.

I voted for this one but, didn't Obama already say he was going to close gitmo? Maybe we should be voting on things that are not already on the menu.

Just close it !

Its illegal !
Its unconstituional !
Its immoral !
Its  evil !

On the other side:

It is american , isn't it? 
Maybe we should keep it open , just to please us ?

No , I don't think so !
 
There could be just one guy in there ,totally innocent , we would never know.
But the Cheney/Bush Gang would'nt make a mistake
like that, would they ? It wouldn't matter to them anyhow
because the emergency decree after 911 allows them to do it to anyone, since our constitution allows the president to give himself presidential power to make the constituion not apply in an emergency , or am I wrong ?

These are my thoughts .

Guantanamo, instead of being closed, should become a national part of the U.S. instead of what it is right now. there are U.S. rights on U.S. territories on islands such as marshal islands, midway, and others, and the same should be done for Guantanamo. the strategic importance of Guantanamo is too important to be let go that easily. Regulation is the key, not closure

Ernest, and others,

So many of the detainees of Guantanamo have absolutely nothing to do with Al Qaeda or any terrorist organizations. There's one poor man who was a taxi driver in Afghanistan who was picked up because he delivered a fare to a "suspect" address, for goodness sake! If they are guilty of crimes against this country, then they should have been extradicted, tried, and if found guilty, incarcerated. But most were not even legally removed from their own countries, have not had legal counsel, and have been incarcerated for years without trial. We are holding them as guilty and not even giving them the change to prove their innocence! Not to mention the illegal and immoral use of torture to try and get confessions. We are in violation of the Geneval Conventions -- and we were primary signatory on that agreement!

that is true, many prisoners are there and deserve a full trial. innocent till proven guilty, prison should await, regardless of where it is, AFTER the trial. with an unbiased jury and judge.

That's better , Steven

Obama already has promised to close Guantanamo, soooo this is a waste of time, no offense.

obama is already planning on close this, or so he said....
SO WHY ARE YOU VOTING FOR THIS ONE?!
check out mine guys:
NO MORE SECRET MEETINGS
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/no_more_secret_meetings_cfr_bilderberg_etc_between_elected_officials_global_elites_media_etc

This is the first step to being respected around the world.

Agreed, nuff said.

"May [America] never forget that a fair national reputation, is of as much importance as independence. That it possesses a charm which wins upon the world, and makes even enemies civil. That it gives a dignity which is often superior to power, and commands a reverence where pomp and splendor fail." -- Thomas Paine, The Crisis XIII

The reason why I am not voting for this proposal is simple.  Obama has already promised to close Gitmo, and I would not be surprised if that were on his agenda for the very first day.  So if only 10 proposals from among the hundreds of proposals submitted here are going to be presented to Mr. Obama, why include a proposal for something he is already going to do anyway?

PS: Gitmo never should have happened in the first place.

if you support this, then you def should support this:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/end_us_imperialism

I agree - It is time to close this facility

Also vote for:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/controlled_globalization

What is known about this facility or the people in it.
Do not tell me they are all nice people.
If there are some that are being held there without a reason then let our president elect review the location, the crimes and make a decision.
How many of you have never been part of the military ?
How many of you have ever seen the crimes committed up close to the citizens of this world?
One grave alone in Iraq had 300,000 dead people executed by some of these people under Saddam's rule.
I agree they need to be tried, but do not give me the propaganda that must of them are nice people.

Give them all Green Cards, plus a couple for "family members."  Pretend that it's recompense; good PR.  Then we can watch them more easily and inexpensively.

When a former Gitmo prisoner becomes involved in terrorist activities, use them to wrap up the whole cell.  Then try them in open court and sentence them according to law, as should have been done in the first place!

Treating them as if they are prisoners of war is doing them too much credit.  People who conspire to commit murder are common thugs with delusions of grandeur.  Time to stop being afraid.

I predict that the majority of former Gitmo prisoners will take us up on our generosity, live peaceful and law-abiding lives, and finance their new start through TV appearances.

The few exceptions, we can deal with.  Harshly but justly.

Give them all Green Cards, plus a couple for "family members."  Pretend that it's recompense; good PR.  Then we can watch them more easily and inexpensively.

When a former Gitmo prisoner becomes involved in terrorist activities, use them to wrap up the whole cell.  Then try them in open court and sentence them according to law, as should have been done in the first place!

Treating them as if they are prisoners of war is doing them too much credit.  People who conspire to commit murder are common thugs with delusions of grandeur.  Time to stop being afraid.

I predict that the majority of former Gitmo prisoners will take us up on our generosity, live peaceful and law-abiding lives, and finance their new start through TV appearances.

The few exceptions, we can deal with.  Harshly but justly.

Well I guess I need to know what's worse?  Them beheading our citizens and soldiers or us holding the ones that played a part in taking 3000 US lives before their time?  You people are crazy if you overlook what these animals have done to our people!!  You people are really arguing to release men that will one day participate in those horrible acts!!!

Whether the are murderers or not, everyone, irrespective of the crime they have commited has the right to a fair trial. Then the appropriate sentence, if found guilty.
Does any democratic country keep people and torture them indefinately?
Isnt this a democracy.

The US should close all secret prisons and concentration camps including Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and the Salt Pit.  The US should bar cruel and degrading treatment of any prisoner in U.S. custody and return to adherence to international law. 

The US is a nation of laws, not people.  The Constitution guarantees due process to all persons, including aliens, in the U.S.   The concept of due process of law requires that specified orderly procedures be followed in the enactment, administration, and enforcement of the laws.  The problem with secret prisons, detention camps, concentration camps, other facilities used to hold and interrogate prisoners etc. is that these are being used to circumvent U.S. and International laws.  Virtually nothing is known about who is kept in the facilities, what interrogation methods are employed with them, or how decisions are made about whether they should be detained or for how long. 

Citmo will be closed.

Please vote for "Reverse Bootcamp for returning combat veterans" under Iraq War.  A very good suggestion.

                                       FACTS
           
            Important documentation of cases where 

          the US military did NOT even take care of its own:

As of Jan. 12, 2008, The New York Times found 121 factual cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/01/12/us/20080113_VETS_DATABASE.html?scp=7&sq=The%20Cases&st=cse
 
                                or search:
         http://www.nytimes.com/    for:  The Cases

Each one of these cases is a tragedy.  It's not about quantity.

don't need it, and the world will see that communist Cuba cannot survive without foreign aid.

Guantanamo Bay's existence is worse than a disgrace. It represents absolute disregard for human and legal rights, but it also represents Bush and Cheney's disdain for the constitution. Not only do they violate the bill of rights, they ignored the Supreme Court's ruling that it was unconstitutional. Sickening.

See the issue of "Pull out of the 130 foriegn countries we are in."
This is along the same reasons for why Gitmo ought to be closed.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pull_out_of_the_130_foriegn_countries_we_are_in

The existence of secret prisons where detained persons are kept in a legal vacuum and possibly tortured is not in conformity with international humanitarian law and international criminal law.

In two YouTubes "Bush admits CIA has secret prisons" and "Matt Lauer goes after Bush over secret prisons and torture" President George W. Bush admits to the US having secret prisons.

Secret prisons should be ordered closed on day one by executive order.  There are no laws saying we have to operate them, so it's a matter of policy.  Simply close them by executive order.  Admit wrongdoing by the United States previous administration, announce that indictments will be forthcoming and move forward.

Gitmo - a great place to torture people and extract false confessions for crimes committed by rogue elements of our own government. Qui Bono? The Military Industrial Complex benefited from 9/11 - the muslim world has gained nothing but oppression and great sorrow from the genocidal wars of 9/11.

False flag terrorism - favorite of tyrants throughout history! Checkout Project Northwoods - The Joint Chiefs came out with an extensive false flag operation that JFK refused.

We are a nation that tortures. We are a nation that values a cheap demolition and a huge insurance payout to rebuild the symbol for the New American Century.  The WTC was old, needing retrofitting and asbestos abatement that would have cost 1 billion dollars.

Read David Ray Griffin. We missed the warning of Eisenhower: "Beware the Military Industrial Complex".

We created radical islamic terrorists to fight the Soviets. We continue to fund them through proxies and we use them whenever there's a danger of peace breaking out into the world.

Taking the gloves of civilization off to protect civilization is a self-defeating strategy!! It is no feat to emulate the behavior of Saddam Hussein or any dictator.

Due to all the disinformation we can't evern assess the actions of Saddam himself!!! Maybe he was just set-up...

Obama promised to close Guantanamo within 2 years... that's way too slow!!
US cannot continue barging into any country in the world claiming to save them from their undemocratic government as long as Guantanamo is closed the the public eye.
Give the prisoners a lawyer and a court appointment and get on with the legal process according to US law.

Only an aberrant, depraved war-mongering/profiteering criminal regime that have been the Bush-Cheney years would even have a "prison" camp - read, "concentration" camp.  Hopefully, the Obama-Biden administration will restore this country once again into one ruled by laws, and functioning on its historical values of enlightened  decency and humanity.

 Dec 31.           Please, all who read this comment. 

CITMO IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN.  YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.

                   Please, please vote for
    "Reverse Bootcamp for returning combat veterans" 
                   under Iraq War.  It's vital.
                                    
            Important documentation of cases where 
          the US military did NOT even take care of its own:

As of Jan. 12, 2008, The New York Times found 121 factual cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/01/12/us/20080113_VETS_DATABASE.html?scp=7&sq=The%20Cases&st=cse
 
                                or search:
         http://www.nytimes.com/    for:  The Cases

Each one of these cases is a tragedy.  It's not about quantity.

The Reverse bootcamp suggestion needs a few more votes to make it to the next round.  

If anyone is put on trial, put Bush and Cheney on trial.  They started a war so they could make money.  This is beyond moral - it's psychopathic.  We must rejoin the International Criminal Court and rejoin our allies.  These men took the support of the World and turned it against us.

And, they ignored the warnings from the Clinton Administration and the CIA about Bin Laden trying to attack us.  They could have prevented the 9/11 attack, and chose not to.

We must return the United States to the international position of status and stature we had before 9/11, through honor and the rule of law.  And the abandonment of violence as a solution to problems, at the least for the sake of our planet.

Closing the prison camp is only the first step at Guantanamo.  We need to aalso give the land back to Cuba.  We should not occupy any foreign land.

The Guantanamo prison camp has to be closed and every prisoner must have a trial that is constitutional because no one is below or above the law. In addition, because these prisoners are in custody of the United States, they must have their constitutional rights affirmed even if they were involved in the tragedy of the World Trade Center. Finally, if the prisoners are given a constitutional trial, many of them will be returned to prison, but it would in a democratic manner.

perhaps you would like to house one of the criminals being held in Guantanamo in your own house.  Well if you wish to close the prison camp, you must feel that they are NO threat.  Let them live with your family and provide for them if that is the case.

Close Guantanamo now and put Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld on trial for crimes against humanity! The number of blatant violations they have perpetuated during their mandate is outrageous. Starting with openly announcing that they will kill the children of a president (Saddam Hussein) and doing it! It is a violation of the Geneva Convention. But since they believe themselves above the law...
That's why this entire chapter must be closed and reparation made.