The Bush Administration's prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is a shameful disgrace to the very ideals upon which America was founded. Amnesty International has referred to Guantanamo as "the gulag of our times," and many critics have pointed out that indefinite imprisonment without trial is a hallmark of fascist dictatorships -- not liberal democracies.

As Thomas Friedman of the New York Times wrote, "Guantanamo Bay is becoming the anti-Statue of Liberty." When it's clear both at home and abroad that the U.S. is responsible for the torture and abuse of prisoners -- including those who have been detained for years without being charged with any crime -- our standing in the world community is irreparably harmed and anti-American passions around the world are inflamed.

Movement towards closing down Guantanamo has picked up in recent days and weeks; those favor of closing it now include notable conservatives such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senator John McCain of Arizona, and current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Senators Harkin of Iowa and Feinstein of California are now planning to introduce legislation that will amend the fiscal year 2008 defense authorization bill to require the closing of Guantanamo. Tell your Senators to support this legislation and shut down Guantanamo for good.

Click on:

http://actforchange.workingassets.com/campaign/gitmo_defbill