The end of detention

Within his first week in office, President Barack Obama has ordered the CIA to start shutting down the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and secret prisons -- a good first step in undoing the effects of former President George Bush's administration's handling of terrorism. Within a year, the detainees at Guantanamo will either be released or prosecuted.

The decision to close the prisons is a smart first move for two reasons: First, many of the men in the prison are still awaiting their release. Others are past due for their prosecution. Second, the longer detainees wait for release or prosecution, the more America looks like an unrelenting combatant in the phased out war on terror.

Of the 245 detainees in Guantanamo, 60 are awaiting their release that was already approved by Bush. For the rest of the men, a quick review is needed for their possible prosecutions.

Although it isn't clear yet where the detainees will go once Guantanamo and the other prisons are closed, Obama is looking to other countries like Ireland, Portugal, France, Germany and Switzerland for support. A transfer to other countries would place the detainees in facilities that will take more responsibility in review and prosecution.

If there are 60 men awaiting release, then why haven't they been freed yet? Secondly, why were these 60 men sent to Gitmo in the first place? There should have been a better review committee before sending prisoners across the ocean -- where they would have to wait for a presidential approval for release.

Bush has tried to reassure the country that we shouldn't stoop to the terrorists' level of unethical treatment in order to prevail triumphantly. However, reports of torture have shown that those in charge are no better than the terrorists they are fighting. Along with the four suicides and hundreds of suicide attempts, the prison isn't suitable for American prisoners to serve time, much less detainees.

Hopefully, Obama's plan to shut down these prisons will extend some kind of notion that he is trying to redirect actions in order to find the real terrorists. Worldwide peace will probably never be established, but acts of peace will be the next best thing.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.