On January 22, 2007, Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink and Global Exchange, addressed a capacity audience at the La Jolla Library.

Ms. Benjamin had recently returned from a trip to Guantanamo, honoring the 5th anniversary of the opening of the detainment camp, and to plead for fair trials and the closing of the prison.    There are more than 400 prisoners being held, (some estimates are as high as 775).  None of the prisoners has received a trial, and there are no advocates for them.  Large sums of money are paid to anyone handing over a suspect for detainment.

Colonel Ann Wright and Cindy Sheehan were part of Ms. Benjamin’s delegation, together with several people who had direct connections with the prisoners.  One mother pressed against the Guantanamo fence, reaching out to her son whom she hadn’t seen for five years.  This was the closest she had been to him.

Intelligence checks are severe and inappropriate. The people of Guantanamo used to be very proud of their region, they are no longer.

Following the delegation’s return to the US, they met with Congressional members.  Unfortunately Guantanamo is not a major issue, even for the Democrats who fear being seen as soft on terrorism if they shut down the prison.

Benjamin believes we must instate Habeas Corpus.  She asked Attorney General Gonzalez about the writ of HC and was told that the Constitution does not grant people the right of HC. 

Benjamin urged the audience to watch the movie Road to Guantanamo.  More about her visit can be seen at:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243066,00.html

Ms. Benjamin also reported on Iraq.  As of January 1, 2007, there are 132,000 troops in Iraq.  $350b has been spent on the invasion.  Congress must be more aggressive about bringing the troops home.  It is not good for US policy to escalate this war.  We need to push the Democrats to de-fund Bush’s war.  Congress has the power of the purse.  We have ruined a country that was already oppressed. 

Ms. Benjamin has visited Iraq five times.  It is especially bad there for women.  We have a moral obligation to rebuild the country.  $1b was designated to rebuild, and not approved of by Congress.  Ms. Benjamin met an Iraqi border guard who said: “we need to learn the language of the enemy” in order to end the bloodshed.