Tenth Anniversary of Guantanamo Bay Detentions

January 11, 2012, marks the tenth anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo Bay as a place to hold detainees in the post 9/11 war on terror. Despite President Obama's campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay, Congress has made that impossible, leaving 171 detainees still there. Many of the detainees are potentially eligible for release, but some cannot be returned to their home countries, such as Yemen, due to unstable conditions. Other detainees are awaiting trial by military commission. News reports indicate that several of the detainees plan to protest their continued detention in recognition of the anniversary. Protests are also planned in other parts of the world.

(cgb)