Thanks to Harvey Thibodeau for his interesting Aug. 2 letter on the prospect of closing our prison at Guantanamo, Cuba. In it, he urges the leader of the free world to "forget about fawning, vacuous approvals. Stop apologizing, make the necessary hard decisions and stop trying to change our beloved, resolute Uncle Sam into Little Miss Congeniality."

Thibodeau's idea of standing up and reclaiming our moral authority is to have the courage to leave our responsibilities on the shores of another country.

If we would reclaim our moral authority, a good first step would be to close the prison at Guantanamo and to do it sooner rather than later. Guantanamo, like Abu Ghraib, is a symbol of an America turned against the very principles that made it great.

If we would envision a world where in every country every individual gets equal protection under the law, or at least a world in which every American is treated fairly in every country, we must begin by treating our detainees as we would want our detainees to be treated. Guantanamo is the lingering symbol of an America that lost its way.

If we want other countries to take in prisoners, the very least we should do is take in some prisoners ourselves. As of now, 202 detainees remain at the prison at Guantanamo. There are 40-odd Super-Max facilities across the United States. If each one of those facilities can't handle five or six of the Guantanamo detainees, then what are they there for?

Thibodeau wants the president to demonstrate the courage to admit to the world that we are a nation guided by fear. It's time for a better example. Restore our strength. Restore our morality. Close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Kevin Smith

Aberdeen