First move: Guantanamo Bay

It seems as if President-elect Obama has decided to make Guantanamo Bay one of his main priorities as he begins his journey into office and becoming our next President. Officials close to the Obama team "said Monday that the incoming administration is pondering whether to try some of the Guantanamo Bay inmates in existing federal courts; set up a special national security court to deal with cases involving the most sensitive intelligence information; or release others." Human rights groups have urged Obama to close Guantanamo Bay as one of his first moves in office. Although Guantanamo Bay seems an odd primary subject to handle (considering the rest of the United States' problems), it is a good strategic plan. Symbolically, closing Guantanamo, an issue that has caused great embarrassment to the Bush administration as well as reflected negatively on his policies and vision of US foreign policy and human rights, marks a fresh beginning with a completely different administration. It highlights Obama's view on human rights and American treatment of prisoners, as well as war conduct. "Critics say the camp has damaged the reputation of the United States overseas, with a U.N. report in 2006 declaring that interrogation techniques used on prisoners amounted to torture."
So although a bit random, making a decision on Guantanamo means addressing the United States' view on torture and human rights, and sending a message to the world that we will no longer allow the kind of behavior and policy that the Bush administration has allowed itself to exercise.