President Obama delivered an address from the White House on Tuesday to announce a major, unfulfilled campaign pledge which he is going to spend his final months in the White House delivering. He is going to close Guantanamo Bay.There is not doubt that Guantanamo has become a stain on the American flag, and a matter of national shame. As Obama put it: Our closest allies raise it with me continuously.  The creation of an extra-judicial prison, in which human beings are trapped and tortured, outside of all laws covering nations and war is a chapter of U.S. history that every American should relish closing. This should not be a partisan issue. It should be a matter of conscience. If America is to pride itself as a nation of laws, it cannot operate outside of those laws.Barack Obama s criticisms of the War on Terror and his commitment to close Guantanamo formed a central promise of his election to the White House in 2008. Sadly, many of the dreams remained unfulfilled. Drone strikes not only continued, but escalated. The U.S continued to intervene in matters of regime change, from Ukraine to Syria. This left the world with two possible conclusion to draw:Both those options left America, and the world, in a very uncertain era. Either, there is no politician we can trust to lead the nation in a just and honorable manner. Or, even if there is, that person will be unable to effect the change we seek. Both of these issue are a crisis for U.S. democracy and the international community.But Obama s announcement today could well signal shift in U.S. policy at home and abroad ahead of the next (likely Democrat) Presidency. In short, America could be refocussing on domestic policy at home, and good neighborliness oversees.The Pentagon has prepared a full proposal for shut-down, including 13 new sites on U.S. soil to house inmates that cannot be freed or returned to their nation of origin. But the Pentagon and the White House are keen that this is a plan that must be agreed and delivered across the aisles and branches of government. A press release from the Defense Department, stipulates that the plan  does not endorse a specific facility to house Guantanamo detainees who cannot be safely transferred to other countries at this time. The administration seeks an active dialogue with Congress on this issue and looks forward to working with Congress to identify the most appropriate location as soon as possible. In concluding his hour-long review of the plans, and President was unambiguous in his views, stating simply: This plan has my full support. The Pentagon is behind the plan, the President is behind the plan. If Guantanamo Bay is not closed by the time Obama leaves the White House, America and the world will know where the real barrier to progress on this issue resides   with Republican Senators and Congressmen. They are the only ones who stand in the way of putting America back on the right side of history.You can see the President s full address below:Featured image via Flickr Creative Commons