17 at Guantanamo ordered released
Ruling could affect other inmates in prison in Cuba
In a stern rebuke of the government, U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina said it would be wrong to continue holding the detainees since they are no longer considered enemy combatants. Known as Uighurs (pronounced WEE'-gurz), the men have been in custody for nearly seven years.
Over the objections of government lawyers, Urbina ordered their release in Washington, D.C., by Friday. It was the first court-ordered release of Guantanamo detainees since ...
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Regardless of political preferences, the US treatment of detainees is one of the most serious issues facing Americans--now and for the foreseeable future. The Constitution and the Geneva Conventions define the rules of acceptable behavior within and among nations, and exist for the protection of all. If we disregard these principles, we have failed as a democracy, and no one can be truly 'safe.'