Obama Pledges To Close Guantanamo, Stop Torture

Barack Obama, speaking to CBS on Sunday night, reiterated his pledge to close Guantanamo Bay and stop torture. Such moves are essential to restoring good international relations with the world and our own moral standing. 

America clearly went astray when it crossed over to the "dark side," as Dick Cheney put it, or viewed the Geneva Conventions as "quaint," as Alberto Gonzalez stated, and adopted such practices as waterboarding and shipping captives to lands that torture (known as "extraordinary rendition"). In addition, we weakened our case against the torture of our own soldiers. It is heartening to hear Obama's intention to uphold American democratic values and human rights.