Colin Powell on Guantanamo Prison Camp: Close It. Now.

The calls to close the notorious detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba grows louder. Former secretary of state and joints chief chairman Colin Powell joins the chorus.

"If it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo. Not tomorrow, but this afternoon. I'd close it," he said on NBC's Meet the Press. The prison, which now holds about 380 suspected terrorists, has tarnished the world's perception of the U.S., Powell said. He wants the detainees moved to facilities facilities in the United States.

The former secretary of state and retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has also offered some foreign policy expertise to the Barack Obama campaign.

Not everyone is in agreement. Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and long-shot Republican presidential hopeful, grabbed some much-needed headlines and showcased his lack of foreign policy credentials by disputing assessments of torture at the notorious prison camp. “Most of our prisoners would love to be in a facility more like Guantanamo and less like the state prisons that people are in in the United States.” Video at Think Progress.

Meanwhile, another serious blow to the Bush Administration's anti-terror strategy: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a man being held as an enemy combatant cannot be indefinitely detained and must be allowed to face his accusers in court. Last week, Senate Democrats voted to advance a bill that would allow terrorism suspects access to federal courts.

Powell Calls for Closure of Prison [WaPo]
Court Rules in Favor of Enemy Combatant [AP]
Huckabee: ‘Most’ Prisoners ‘Would Love’ Gitmo [TP]

Some Background ...

Dems Vote to Restopre Habeas Corpus [R20]
NYT to Bush: Dump Gonzales [R20]
Why is Justice "Investigating" Domestic Spying? [R20]
Rumsfeld's Worst Nightmare [R20]
Judgment at Nuremberg [R20]
Rumsfeld War Crimes [R20]
Powell Opposes Bush on Torture [R20]
Administration Spying on Gay Groups? [R20]

Comments

[Andy in Seattle]

"would love to" ?!! WTF?

[C. Baptiste-Williams]

This is why I respect Colin Powell so much. He stands for what he believes in regardless if it is a republican view or not.

Definitely my pleasure to meet and get to know him and wife, during my tenure in Washington.