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President Obama took a crucial step toward reestablishing the nation’s moral bearings with his executive order outlawing torture (see news story in this issue). His order calling for the closing of the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba, where scores of terrorist suspects have been held without trial, was another important step toward demonstrating that the nation will not sacrifice human rights in the war on terrorism.

A broad range of religious leaders and human rights advocates have applauded President Obama’s executive order that essentially ends torture of detainees held by the U.S. government.

On his second full day in office, January 22, the president signed an executive order on “ensuring lawful interrogations” to “promote the safe, lawful and humane treatment of individuals in United States custody.”