Closing prison would show leadership

Re “War on Terror Has Hurt Rights, Group Says,” May 23

Amnesty International is the latest human rights group to criticize alleged U.S. torture of prisoners, also citing China and Russia for human rights violations. Previously, the United Nations Committee Against Torture urged the U.S. to end rendition and secret prisons, and Human Rights Watch urged the U.S. to accept the recommendations of the U.N. committee.

International leaders and human rights agencies have criticized indefinite detention of prisoners at Guantanamo who have yet to be charged, and they have called for closure of the prison.

When will the Bush administration acknowledge the criticism and recommendations of these bodies that are respected worldwide? How much longer will denials and justifications obfuscate the reality of conditions in prisons under U.S. control?

As more released prisoners from Guantanamo and other prisons tell their stories, evidence mounts that torture has been practiced and sanctioned by the U.S.

Surely, torture is an indefensible and illegal practice that this administration can no longer justify in the name of national security and the war on terror.

LENORE NAVARRO DOWLING

Los Angeles

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Without a doubt, the war on terror is failing on several grounds and sparking an increase in human rights abuses. As Americans, we should be extremely concerned that the country associated with freedom and democracy is increasingly being associated with prison-abuse scandals and hypocrisy.

Our government should be the leader in enforcing human rights without compromising national security. Instead of reducing our human rights standards for the so-called war on terror, we must be at the forefront of protecting our citizens and upholding basic human rights for every person.

We should close the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or at least subject the prisoners to a valid due-process system. Such measures would weaken our enemies’ rhetoric against us and make the U.S. a stronger moral nation.

RADIA HUSAIN

Huntington Beach