Yemen and Guantanamo

I thought it might be appropriate to kick-off this blog with a story focusing on a problem that will be with us for the forseeable future, far beyond the closing […]

by

Gregory Johnsen

December 21, 2010

Get the Big Think newsletter on Substack

I thought it might be appropriate to kick-off this blog with a story focusing on a problem that will be with us for the forseeable future, far beyond the closing down of the prison in Guantanamo Bay.

The story from NPR’s Dina Temple-Raston details some of the concerns many in the US have with returning detainees to Yemen. It also features some comments by myself, explaining what I believe are some major concerns.

Gregory Johnsen

Near East Studies Scholar, Princeton University

Monthly Issue April 2026

The Energy Transition

In this monthly issue, we examine how our understanding of energy — and how we source and use it — is evolving.

1 video 11 articles

Two hands surround a glowing, illustrated sun with a human face, against a green background with radiating lines.

Related Content

The China factor in the great progression of the next 25 years

A firsthand look at China’s material progress and clean-tech revolution -- and what could happen if we let an authoritarian state steer AI's future.

by Peter Leyden

Starts With A Bang

The 4 ways science confirms the Moon landings were real

Even though no human has stepped foot on the Moon's surface in 50 years, the evidence of our presence there remains unambiguous.

by Ethan Siegel

moon landing Apollo 11

History & Society

Snouters, dinosauroids, and other animals that never were

Speculative evolution explores the strange paths natural selection might have taken — and what that means for humans.

by Thomas Moynihan

Illustration of various animal and human silhouettes in colored circles connected by arrows, set against a textured abstract background, evoking themes of speculative evolution.

The most successful information technology in history is the one we barely notice

Joel Miller, the author of “The Idea Machine,” joins us to explore why books are history’s most successful information technology.

by Kevin Dickinson

A woman in a blue dress sits beside a cradle with a baby; two adults are seated at a green table with a closed book, highlighting the enduring importance of books in an age of advancing technology.

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.