Obama - Closing Guantanamo

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-22-voa53.cfm

So the gist of the story is, Obama is closing Gitmo within a year. And the detainees have to go somewhere. Europeans, who have been nagging Bush since the camp was opened, are appearing somewhat reluctant to take in any of the prisoners (if prisoners they really are, legal status is somewhat nebulous on this batch of people).

So my question is, why should anyone take them in?

Meaning, they are our prisoners, why should we be shipping them off overseas? The whole argument against giving trials to these men is that they are not legitimate prisoners of war in the eyes of the Geneva Conventions. Meaning that they gave up their rights as POWs under the GC, one of which includes having a neutral country take over possession of them. But that is a digression from my main concern.

We took em, we should deal with them.

It is superfically a great thing to close Gitmo. I am not against the camp on general principles, the only thing I take issue with is granting the prisoners rights of Justice. I have heard the argument that they gave up their rights, they are illegal combatants, terrorists, horrible men. But isn't our country built on the notion that "...ALL men are created equal...", not just Americans? If we want to hold our heads high and be proud, yes proud of our country, doesn't it seem like the best way forward is to extend our notions of Right and Fair to the world, instead of acting like in some way we are better than them and can treat our enemies (regardless of their "legal" status) however we want? Including lifelong incarceration without any sort of legal recourse?

Isn't it possible that even one of these men are innocent? It seems that those people who most vociferously deny these prisoners any sort of legal recourse are the same ones who tout the USA as the best country in the world. Dyed in the wool, red blooded, they will take my gun from my cold dead hands, rah rah patriotism ridden, democracy uber alles sort of people who really and truly believe in the American flag. Why is it these are the people who are so reluctant, so afraid to show Justice to these prisoners?

I think the USA is the greatest country on the planet, for good reason. Our principles. Rugged individualism, and recourse against an unfair government. These are the ideals that we should be exporting, and extending to even our most bitter of enemies. Without our principles, we are nothing more than a bunch of thugs.