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by Dalia Hashad – Avaaz.org

In 24 hours, President Obama could finally move to close Guantanamo —

With inmates on a 100-day hunger strike and massive calls for Obama to act, our president has been pushed to respond with a major speech about the prison. If enough of us demand a plan — he could free the prisoners already cleared for release, and appoint a White House official with one mission: close Guantanamo down!

We’re at a tipping point. Sign up to demand Obama close this shameful gulag down, and share the shocking facts below so others join this urgent call.

The facts speak for themselves:
• Detainees in Guantanamo now: 166

• Detainees facing active charges: 6

• Detainees cleared for immediate release, but stuck in the camp: 86

• Guantanamo inmates on hunger strike: 103

• Hunger strikers strapped down and force fed: 30

• Prisoners who have died in custody: 9

• Children the US has held at Guantanamo: 21

• Detainees tried in civilian court: 1

• “Unreleasable” detainees who can’t be tried for lack of evidence or torture:50

• Prisoners released by the Bush administration: 500+

• Prisoners released by the Obama administration: 72

• Current annual cost to US taxpayers: $150 million

• Days since Obama first pledged to close Gitmo: 1579

• Time since first prisoners arrived at Guantanamo: 11 years, 4 months, 11 days …

For years, Obama has blamed the US Congress for the failure to close Guantanamo. But since Congress granted the Defense Department waiver authority that allows prisoners who have been cleared to be transferred out, Obama himself can free these 86 men. And while he will need Congressional cooperation to close the prison completely, if he truly wants to shut it down, he can task someone at the White House right now to show it is a priority and make it happen.Sign now to demand Obama announce a plan to close Guantanamo, and then let’s up the pressure by flooding the White House with calls in these final hours  — it’s time we end this shame!