Opinion | Editorials
Obama has failed to chart a new course
10 years on, Guantanamo Bay prison bears testimony to US policies of confrontation
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 January 12, 2012
Guantanamo Bay prison will be remembered as one of the most controversial and painful episodes in the US war on terror — for all those who have been directly or indirectly involved with it. This is a sad chapter in history — one that defied reasoning, justice, and human rights. And the only way to correct it is through bringing it to a closure.
When Barack Obama became president, he promised to close it down straight away. In adopting this position, Obama was attempting to define his policy differently from his predecessor's. After all, the war on terror was not of his making and had been a White House policy adopted during a different period of time and under variant circumstances. And hence, came Obama's conviction — or so it seemed at the time — to put an end to this shameful matter.
Yet a decade on, this wound is yet to heal. The prison still exists as the promises have been forgotten over time. Even though some of the prisoners have been freed and others transferred to their home country, the fact that Guantanamo still exists is reflective of the old policy which is very much alive and present under the current administration.
There is no question that terrorists who have been proven to have carried out criminal acts should be brought to justice and prosecuted — openly, justly and in full transparency and objectivity. But those who have had no evidence proven against their involvement should be freed as a number of individuals have been released after many years of being in custody without even a single evidence to convict them.
Ten years on, the so-called ‘war on terror' has unnecessarily entangled the world community in confrontations for many years. A diversion of policy is needed and the first step is to close down Guantanamo.
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