By Debra Sweet

Take the time to get into discussions about the US prison in Guantanamo with people around you this week. Here are things they may not know.

1. It is NOT closed. Yes, six years ago, and 20 months ago, Obama promised to close it. 127 men are still there, guarded by 2,000 US military and thousands of contractors serving them.

2. 779 men have been brought to the prison since 1/11/2002. Of this number, the US government has plans to charge only 10 with crimes, but refuses to do so in the US court system. 647 men have been released, most never having been charged with any crime.

3. 86% of the men were handed over to US custody because bounties of $5,000 were handed out in Afghanistan and Pakistan; not because they were involved in conflict with the US.

4. 35 detainees have been designated to be detained indefinitely without charges, while 59 prisoners have been cleared for release, but continue to be held. 

5. The prison was located in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, precisely because US law was not applicable there.

6. Nine prisoners have died in Guantanamo; six of those said to be by suicide.

7. 22 of the prisoners were children under 18 years old when they arrived. Two were age 13 or 14.

8. With the stroke of a pen, Obama could close Guantanamo — today.

9. Torture (force-feeding) is happening even today, on President Obama’s watch.

10. This is the single biggest secret of the “war on terror:” anti-state terror and state-sponsored terror (that is, terror inflicted by governments) fuel each other and require each other.

Now that you know, what will you do?

Join in protests near you and demand Guantanamo be shut down. Washington DC; Boston; Springfield & Northampton, MA; Miami, Los Angeles, Berkeley CA, Chicago.