Closing Guantanamo prison may not be best option  In the
spotlight  Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2005  Closing the U.S.
prison at Guantanamo Bay has suddenly become a hot topic. Since
Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del., broached the idea, the notion
has been gaining steam.   Print-ready version   Send to a friend
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Forums  Last weekend, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., added the first
Republican voice to the chorus, and there were Senate hearings
Wednesday on detainee issues. Even President Bush seems to be
hinting that he's game. Asked during a television interview
whether Gitmo should be shut, the president said, "We're
exploring all alternatives as to how best to do the main
objective, which is to protect America."  Gitmo has come to
represent the lack of accountability and the extralegal aspects
of the war on terrorism. Shuttering it would be a grand gesture.
The symbolism would be important and could help improve the U.S.
image. But if that is all tha