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Thursday, January 22, 2009

I smell change


There it is. Just like that, President Obama has signed the order to close the prison at Guantánamo. From the New York Times:
Saying that "our ideals give us the strength and moral high ground" to combat terrorism, President Obama signed executive orders Thursday effectively ending the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret interrogation program, directing the closing of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp within a year and setting up a sweeping, high-level review of the best way to hold and question terrorist suspects in the future.

"We intend to win this fight," Mr. Obama said, "We are going to win it on our own terms."

As he signed three orders, 16 retired generals and admirals who have fought for months for a ban on coercive interrogations stood behind him and applauded.
I am of the opinion that the United States should not torture people simply because this should not be a country that tortures people. But for those who think torture 'works', here is a previous blog item that makes the case for torture being an ineffective investigative tool.

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