President Obama has made the first big national security speech of his administration -- on Guantanamo Bay, rendition, torture, military commissions ... the lot. It's clear that while Obama is committed in principle to restoring the fundamentals of law and justice, political reality is increasingly threatening his resolve. And that's a risk we can't afford.

Everyone from former Vice President Dick Cheney, who outrageously continues to champion torture, to Senators from Obama's own party who just this week refused to authorise funding to close Guantanamo, are making it harder for him to stay strong in practice. Obama insiders have told Avaaz that before further long-term security decisions are made by the Administration we should urgently demonstrate he has the support of the world to stay true to his pre-election words.

That's why we're taking our "Obama Stay Strong: Close Guantanamo, End Torture" resolve to the influential streets of Washington DC with a massive billboard towering down a main intersection where all the political staffers, journalists and politicians pass by. For $25 each of us can buy the equivalent of one square foot of support for President Obama, and help him protect rights as well as global security. Click here to see our planned billboard -- and contribute if you can:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stay_strong_obama

The billboard will point to what we want - a commission of inquiry into past torture practices, prosecution of those who authorized or committed acts of torture, regardless of how high up the chain of command they may be; a rights-respecting questioning regime within the US military and intelligence forces; and a new mechanism to ensure all the individuals swept up in the CIA rendition and secret prisons programs, including Bagram, are accounted for.

President Obama said "I believe with every fiber of my being that in the long run we also cannot keep this country safe unless we enlist the power of our most fundamental values." Now is the time for all of us to help him bring those words to life - not just have hear them in fine rhetoric.

But the campaign to unravel Obama's policies is the fiercest since Obama came to power. Even political insiders are shocked at the success of the Bush-Cheney camp to rewrite history; and turn the popular tide against the President's commitment to international law, justice and accountability. It is something we must help Obama with, and what better way than an unmissable billboard towering over the streets of the most powerful city in the world. Click here to fight back:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stay_strong_obama

This speech could be a turning point -- away from lawless executive power and the politics of fear. Or something quite frightening could emerge -- a world of indefinite preventative detention, ongoing rendition and undisclosed images of torture practices and documents identifying their architects.

The choice is ours at this juncture. In Obama's words, change does not come from him. It comes from all of us. Now, let's make it happen.

Above : Image of billboard mock-up in the centre of DC. Donate to make it happen!