Marking 20 Infamous Years of Detention at Guantanamo Bay

This week marks the 20th anniversary of detention of suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. At its peak, the United States held some 800 detainees in the "Global War on Terror" at Guantanamo. Today, 39 still remain and 27 of those have never been charged.

The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the procedures created by the U.S. government to try the alleged terrorists fail constitutional muster in cases including Hamdan v Rumsfeld and Boumediene v Bush. Controversy continues about the so-called "forever trials" at Guantanamo Bay.

Several organizations that have been highlighting the problems with the ongoing detention operations are marking this infamous anniversary, including Human Rights Watch and the Center for Constitutional Rights. The Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs at Brown University has published a new report called, Costs of War which details the "costs of unlawful U.S. detentions and interrogations post-9/11." On this somber anniversary, it is worth taking a moment to consider the cost to the United States, not only economically but more importantly with respect to its reputation as a world leader.

(cgb)