Should Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba be closed down?

[Cascadian]

Poll question: Should Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba be closed down?

Before the war on terror, Guantanamo Naval Base was just only known as the only U.S. military installation in a hostile country. But that has changed. The attorcities against those detained at Guantanamo has made it a symbol of American aggression and has brought shame on the America.

I believe that maybe the time has come for the Naval Base should be closed down and the land returned to Cuban hands. Personally, I think perhaps it should have been shut down after the 1959 revolution but that's neither here nor there.

Does anybody else think the base should closed down as a consequence of the lack of human rights towards the Muslim detainees brought there?

[dhinojosa]

1. Absolutely.

[MrSlayer]

2. No, having the base is good for us.

They should stop the torture and shit going on there but we should never give up the base.








Edit: spelling.

[Cascadian]

3. But Guantanamo has become a disgraceful symbol

The symbol of the Bushites New Order. One of aggression and the lack of human rights towards detainees. It is notorious as Abu Gharib! Plus in my opinion, I honestly don't think we should have our forces overseas. We do not run the world! At least we should not be!


John

[JanMichael]

5. Why is it "good for us"?

How so? To keep those nasty commies from invading Florida?

[wuushew]

7. The base is supposedly there by agreement of Cuba and the US

if the government of Cuba decreed that we must vacate the area we must comply. Those are the terms of the perpetual lease which Castro has wisely not accepted a penny. The U.S. has no more a right to Cuban soil than it does Afghani or Uzbek.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

25. you are correct

Cuba has NEVER cashed 1 of the checks that our gov't has ...ahem ...paid them for the ,...ahem....lease

[LSdemocrat]

4. Just shut down the detention camp

I haven't the slightest clue if, as a base, Guantanamo has any strategic military value, other than keeping a presence on Cuba, so I don't have an opinion on whether the whole thing should be closed down.

[etherealtruth]

6. Agreed n/t

[Zhade]

10. Why is it necessary to have a (militaristic) U.S. presence in Cuba?

What the hell are we doing there, or in any of the dozens of other countries we have bases and soldiers in?

Me, I'm not fond of America being an empire.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. To protect Miami from Cuban doctors, good music, and great food.

Not to mention universal health care and better education.

[Poppyseedman]

18. Before you give Fidel too much credit for universal health care

check these links out:

http://therealcuba.com/index.htm

http://therealcuba.com/page3.htm

http://therealcuba.com/Page10.htm

Definitely opened my eyes. The second and third link is particularly disturbing in light of your comment

[Cascadian]

21. I am no fan of Castro either but...

If we are playing nice and trading with China and Vietnam (Both Communist countries!) then why not do the same with Cuba? I see a double standard here!


John

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. Righhhht. And, the site tells how swell things were under Batista.

Funny how Fidel and Che stirred up a successful revolution amongst all those happy Cubans.

[Poppyseedman]

27. That revolution happened 46 years ago

Things have changed since then.

[Zhade]

26. Haha! Nice!

We are under threat by those, aren't we? :P

[ohio_liberal]

13. I agree as well

Guantanamo isn't the problem, it's the detention camp that is the problem.

[wuushew]

15. Why are we there?

Can you justify the expense of a base that needs to completely supply its own power and water needs and receives all supplies via ship? Doesn't sound very cost effective to me.

Also why does one need a naval base in the middle of Carribean, with no military threat facing us and a population which resents our presence?

Perhaps naval bases(which are actually needed) should be based stateside where they provide jobs and money for local communities, especially in blue states.

[wuushew]

8. kick

:kick:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Out of Cuba. Gitmo is imperialism just like the bases in the P.I. were.

And, we can get out Okinawa too. And, every other place we're not wanted.

[Eric J in MN]

11. End prisons on ships, too. And extradition to countries which torture.

nt

[Jack Rabbit]

14. No

The issue around Guantánamo Bay is whether the Bush regime is going to respect the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture. Closing Guantánamo Bay or any other single detention center will not assure that those standards are being met in the remaining facilities in the Bush regime's network of offshore gulags.

I offer my own poll in light of these objections.

[SmokingJacket]

16. Only if they don't put one somewhere else.

I'm afraid if they closed it, it would just be a symbolic gesture. I want them to renounce torture and abuse first, totally overhaul the military justice system, and make the capture and detention of prisoners 100% transparent.

THEN close it. What the heck are we doing in CUBA, anyway?

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Bumping this and its sister poll

:bounce:

[Jack Rabbit]

19. Another bump for both polls

:bounce:

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

20. yes, without a doubt.

[Jack Rabbit]

22. Last call on both polls

:bounce:

[B Calm]

23. When I was in the Navy I hated GITMO! Close the damn base

NOW!

[Disturbed]

28. It will never be closed.

It was constructed by Haliburton when Cheney was CEO and is now getting more construction contracts. In fact they are planning on conducting executions of terrorists there as soon as they get through with some phony trials.