As world criticism mounts against the U.S. policy of holding detainees at Guantanamo for 2 years without charges or trials, a disturbing fact emerges:

While Washington has promised tribunals, it also continues to expand the prison. Eventually it will have 1,100 cells, raising further questions of what the future holds for the mission.

There are still 660 prisoners at Guantanamo, including 3 teenage boys. While 88 have been released, new arrivals have taken their places.

Johan Steyn, one of a panel of judges who sit in Britain's House of Lords, recently said holding the tribunals in Cuba would be a "monstrous failure of justice."

....Some U.S. lawmakers also have raised concerns about prolonged delays in the detainees' cases. Others say holding tribunals outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts would make trials unfair.

Many critics say the United States has abandoned its judicial principles in its zeal to prevent another terrorist attack on its soil. "You have people sitting there for two years with rights under international law being utterly ignored by the administration," said Jamie Fellner, U.S. director of Human Rights Watch.

There have been 34 suicide attempts by the prisoners--including one this week.

Guantanamo turns 2 years old today. How depressing.