Close it now.

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is, by a Republican's standard, the only good thing in all of Cuba.
But, in reality it is the worst thing in that entire country.

The U.S.'s first encounter on Guantanamo Bay was during the Spanish-American war, when a Marine force camped there on June 10, 1898. The next day, two Marines were killed in the same area.
Five years later, in 1903, former President Theodore Roosevelt signed an agreement with the new Cuban government, where they would lease the Bay for 2,000 golden coins a year. But this was not something that they did voluntarily, it was something that was in the "Platt Amendment" that, more likely then not, the new government was forced to sign.
I think that they were probably forced to sign this, because it does not seem like something anyone would want. Basically, it gave the U.S. permission to interfere with Cuban affairs, and the Cuban government could not have any say in where or when they interfered.
This agreement was signed on February 16, 1903, and in the agreement, it said that "...for use as coaling or naval stations only, and no other purpose..."
Then, on July 2, 1906, another agreement was signed in Havana to re-buy Guantanamo with another property, Bahia Honda, and for both of these, they would pay $2,000.

The U.S., ever since has been dis-honoring the Platt Amendment, and it has not been for naval purposes only.
Now Guantanamo Bay is, well, Guantanamo Bay, the main torture center for America.
And, if they find someone in associated with Al-Qaeda, if they don't kill them, they'll ship them out to Guantanamo, tie their arms to the back of a board, shove water down their nose and mouths, ask 'em where Bin Laden is, they'll lie, and put them in a small room with 10 other former Al-Qaeda members.
I will never understand the use of torture.

And now, Robert Gates is saying that it might be harder then he originally expected to close Guantanamo, and John McCain has said "Apparently, we are not going to make the deadline, but we should work towards the closure of Guantanamo Bay because of the image it has on the world, of brutality, [which] harms our image very badly"
For once in my life, I can say that I agree with Senator John McCain of Arizona. That's true, completely. If you tie people's hands to a board, and shove water down your throat, it ruins your image.
And no one, unless their Hitler, deserves to die.
A special thanks to cnn.com and historyofcuba.com for additional information
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Sam

Answer this Question, Without Drowning

The U.S.is, in many ways one of the most understanding countries in the world. It has eliminated about 70% of Racists, Sexists, Anti-Semites from existence (most of them are people who watch Glenn Beck's Show). It has come so far since the 60's and 70's due to all of the Movements from Women, African-Americans, and Jews.
But with some things, were not quite where some other countries are.
And one of those things is Water Boarding.
If you are Unfamiliar with Water Boarding, then let me explain:
a Republican would probably explain it like this: there's a Muslim (and that means a terrorist) and he is a bad person (all Muslims are) and so in order to get him to answer questions, we simulate drowning, which doesn't actually hurt the person at all.
Are there lies? yes, many. But are there any lies about the actual water boarding, no. However, this is what really happens:
There's a guy who is a terrorist or, more likely, some guy who drives a Taxi into a camp. And this guy, guilty or innocent, is taken into a room, where they tie his arms to the back of a board and they take an entire jug of water and force it down their nose and mouth, making it seem like their drowning. No, it doesn't hurt the person at all, but if you were sinking to the bottom of a pool, that's what it would feel like. And if you tried to close your mouth, they would open it back up, physically. And the same thing for your nose. And while you feel like your about to die, you half to answer questions about terrorism.
So can't you think that it is just simple, because it is not.
My overall opinion is that water boarding sucks and should be illegal.
(Special thanks to cnn.com)
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Sam