Time to close Guantanamo. We can help

Northern Ireland's political class is utterly focused today on the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As I write, her motorcade is en route to Stormont to meet the First and Deputy First Minister and to address the Northern Ireland Assembly. Local political lobbyist Terry McErlane is even blogging from the motorcade.

Politicians, in any country, are always going to get excited when the ultimate in power politics comes calling. Let's be frank: it doesn't get more 'power politics' than when the overseas plenipotentiary of the world's foremost imperial power calls by.

Of course, the States has her own problems. So let's hope that amidst the glad-handing and arm-twisting on issues like the devolution of justice and policing powers, some of our own lot think to suggest what Northern Ireland might do for America, not just what America can do for Northern Ireland.

After all, Clinton has previously directly appealed for help from Europe in closing Guantanamo, by taking some of those detainees who can't be returned to their country.

Time to close Guantanamo. We should help.