Closing Guantanamo Bay Prison and Its Effects on the Various Levels of American Security

“You can’t handle the truth” is one of the most memorable movie quotes of all times. Made popular in the 1992 movie A Few Good Men, the movie depicts a true story of a murder on Guantanamo Bay Marine base. Now, with the closing of Guantanamo’s prison, arguments from both sides of the fence are repeating that ever famous line.

The whole world knows that Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) is America’s chief detainment camp for suspected military combatants from Afghanistan and around the world. By closing the camp that has been found on numerous occasions to be utilizing illegal and inhumane interrogation procedures on its residents, the rest of the world powers would see that America wants positive change in how our government goes about its business and that we are ready to do something about it.

The new plan Obama plans to execute consists of closing this prison which has been a great asset to America by holding some of our most dangerous enemies. A majority of these are members of the Taliban. Closing the confined cage that keeps America safe from these animals would be a crime in itself.

A majority of the residents at Gitmo are “suspected” of having Taliban affiliations. By changing not only the holding area, but the holding conditions that we place our captured terrorists, we can hope to show our citizens and the rest of the world that the government and the military are doing what needs to be done in a manner that will not have depredating results on America’s conscience.

The closing of this prison will bring all these prisoners to America to stand trial. With the prisons here in America already overcrowded, this will force us to pardon some of these prisoners from Guantanamo to be released into our country without standing trial. The government has given an estimate of about 250 men to be just let go in the states. There are no other countries that are willing to take the accused. So with a reputation like that, why should we?

Our last point is that with the prison closing, whatever the outcome should be for these prisoners (whether it’s standing trial and going free or being pardoned in America), we are still taking a giant risk which we can’t afford by letting these terrorist organizations think they can get off with a slap on the wrist.

QUESTION: The question we leave you with is simple: Does the luxury of hardened criminals with proven ties to Al Qaida (who dedicate their lives to making America extinct) outweigh the price of our (Americans) safety and freedom?

PS. In my opinion (Shermaine), they can take their 72 virgins and rot in a jail cell for the rest of their lives.

A welcome to my Tues. hybrid class!

Hello, everyone!

This is where 10% of your grade begins. The rules for the discussions are as follows:

1. You will be posting a blog on an issue. What you will do is EMAIL to me the blog on the issue you wish to cover and the commentary you wish to add to the topic (naturally, you've got to start the conversation). I will post it up on the blog site for your classmates; whereupon, the discussion will begin.

2. You will also be responsible for CONTRIBUTING your thoughts, comments, theories, comparisons, rants, raves, inquiries, outrage, etc. on each of the blogs posted by your classmates. It's a give-and-take discussion, as well it should be.

3. Your blog postings and responses must NOT be anonymous. It wouldn't make much sense to grade an anonymous contributor when I wouldn't know to whom I'd grant the grade, would it?

4. Since your blog postings and commentaries aren't going to be anonymous, I expect you to respond thoughtfully and intelligently. Please note, however, that I will not censor your writing. I strongly adhere to the ideology of freedom of speech. I simply ask that you refrain from using vacuous vulgarities and brash insults directed at your fellow commentators. That's not adequate argumentation, in any case.

5. Your blog issue will be on a CURRENT topic that's debatable. This may require you to start reading the newspaper and newsworthy magazines, watching the tube, browsing the internet, and so forth. Direct your blog commentators to certain stories/articles on the topic as well, to assist in your discussion and their contributions.

6. Bear in mind, folks, I'll be contributing, too! Don't let MY vantage dissuade you from posting either (in good argumentation, no side is 100% right or wrong!). That certainly ISN'T what freedom of speech entails. In other words, feel free to disagree with my views. Just be prepared to back up your claim!

7. Have a good time with this. What I hope this blog will do is free your mind a bit and give you some ideas as to research paper topics you might not have thought of before!


So, without further adieu... Let's begin with something easy --

Each of you introduce yourself and give us ONE pet peeve -- one thing that irritates you -- big or small -- that really gets under your skin.

I'll start:

I'm MacKenzie Jennings, and lately, I've been quite irritated with the number of license plates and bumper stickers that indicate drivers' political and/or religious agendas. Personally, I think they should be replaced with messages indicative of the drivers' driving habits instead.