President Obama’s Guantanamo Quagmire

[BigRob]

On January 22, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order that, among other things, ordered the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay closed. The order states:

The detention facilities at Guantanamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than 1 year from the date of this order. If any individuals covered by this order remain in detention at Guantanamo at the time of closure of those detention facilities, they shall be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country, or transferred to another United States detention facility in a manner consistent with law and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.

According to Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, since Congress has included a rider in an appropriations bill that would prevent the transfer of any detainees from Guantanamo to US soil for any purpose other than putting them on trial, and with midterm elections looming, it is increasingly unlikely that this rider will be removed.

Given this, the President is faced with the option of releasing the detainees to their home countries, finding a third party that is willing to take them, amending his previous Executive Order, or sitting in violation of his own law.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, “The revelation that former detainees now based in Yemen were involved in planning the Christmas attack in Detroit prompted the administration to announce a halt to repatriation of Yemenis.” Therefore, the option to return many detainees to their home countries has been seemingly eliminated.

Additionally, it is unlikely that the President will be able to find third party nations to accept these detainees, given that over the past year previous attempts have generated little success. Facing this reality, and the fact that the President cannot realistically sit in violation of his own Executive Order, the President will be forced to either release the detainees currently at Guantanamo, or amend his original Executive Order. Both of these options present political victories for the Republicans, making the prospect of ever closing Guantanamo seem even more remote.

 

[ASPCA4EVER]

BigRob said: According to Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, since Congress has included a rider in an appropriations bill that would prevent the transfer of any detainees from Guantanamo to US soil for any purpose other than putting them on trial, and with midterm elections looming, it is increasingly unlikely that this rider will be removed.

But even if they were transferred to: Leavenworth, Kansas, or that highly isolated newly built completely empty one out in 'WYOMING' {I believe} with all of the mega discovery motions, pretrial work, trial scheduling, jury selection...the trials aren't going to happen this year and probably not next year either. I say bring them in and close Guantanamo DOWN...IMO

 

[BigRob]

But even if they were transferred to: Leavenworth, Kansas, or that highly isolated newly built completely empty one out in 'WYOMING' {I believe} with all of the mega discovery motions, pretrial work, trial scheduling, jury selection...the trials aren't going to happen this year and probably not next year either. I say bring them in and close Guantanamo DOWN...IMO

That would be illegal unless the Administration announced they intend to try them all, and then got the ball rolling on such. I do not believe they are prepared, or capable, of doing that currently.

Remember that earlier in the year President Obama all but stated that some people in GITMO cannot be tried. I simply do not see this being announced in the next two weeks before the January 22nd deadline.

 

[top gun]

Well at least you're admitting that GITMO is just another quagmire Bush left for President Obama.

As if the Bush Recession (worst economic downturn since The Great Depression), a $12 BILLION DOLLAR PER MONTH occupation in Iraq build on lies and having to turn America back from being a TORTURE state weren't enough!

Bottom line: Obama put an end to the Bush TORTURE policy and we're setting up a very secure maximum security prison in Illinois which not only gets us away from the TORTURE CAMP taint but even creates some good old American jobs.

I have no doubt that the prisoners will be handled appropriately now. Hey we have the death penalty here in the United States.

 

[BigRob]

Well at least you're admitting that GITMO is just another quagmire Bush left for President Obama.

The problem became Obama's when he boldly declared he would close the facility in one year. Failure to accomplish this lies solely with him.

As if the Bush Recession (worst economic downturn since The Great Depression), a $12 BILLION DOLLAR PER MONTH occupation in Iraq build on lies and having to turn America back from being a TORTURE state weren't enough!

That has nothing to do with the topic.

Bottom line: Obama put an end to the Bush TORTURE policy and we're setting up a very secure maximum security prison in Illinois which not only gets us away from the TORTURE CAMP taint but even creates some good old American jobs.

Unfortunately, it is illegal to transfer the GITMO prisoners there under US law. The President has until January 22nd, when he must either violate his own law, or admit he has failed to close the facility.

I have no doubt that the prisoners will be handled appropriately now. Hey we have the death penalty here in the United States.

Did you also have "no doubt" that GITMO would be closed in a year when Obama declared it would be? That has been a total disaster. Politically, it will hurt the President.

 

[top gun]

The problem became Obama's when he boldly declared he would close the facility in one year. Failure to accomplish this lies solely with him.

You're nit picking.

It's in process. That hasn't changed. Obstructionist Republicans can only slow things done a tad they can't stop them completely.

And hey let's be honest. Comparing a slight lag time in the completion of the GITMO shutdown... and say lying us into an invasion costing $12 BILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH like Bush or not vetting your VP pick who was so void of any knowledge international that she didn't understand the reasons for WW1, WW2 or why there was a North & South Korea (see new book Game Change) like McCain... it really is totally & utterly insignificant.

That has nothing to do with the topic.

I was merely discussing the multiple quagmires a la Bush.

Unfortunately, it is illegal to transfer the GITMO prisoners there under US law. The President has until January 22nd, when he must either violate his own law, or admit he has failed to close the facility.

If you believe that GITMO won't be shut down under President Obama I'll put you on the record for that right now. That's fine with me. So noted.

Did you also have "no doubt" that GITMO would be closed in a year when Obama declared it would be? That has been a total disaster. Politically, it will hurt the President.

No I did not. I'm more than happy to go with the intent and the exact time-line is not that important to me. Except in the case of repealing the Bush TORTURE directives which I felt was critical to move on immediately.

What you fail to see is that all these Red Herrings the Right keeps putting up are only useful to you while they are in process. Once the Health Insurance Reform Bill is signed it's over. Once the prisoners are moved from one secure location to another secure location it's over.

I don't really blame you for making what little hay you can while the sun shines. Do what you can.

 

[dogtowner]

Perfectly stupid pretending Gitmo is a problem when its a brilliant solution.

Rookie mistake.

Again.

 

[BigRob]

You're nit picking.

It's in process. That hasn't changed. Obstructionist Republicans can only slow things done a tad they can't stop them completely.

Hold on. "Obstructionist Republicans"??? The legislation that forbids the transfer of these detainees was passed with broad bipartisan support. You need to revisit your claim that solely Republicans are blocking this.

And hey let's be honest. Comparing a slight lag time in the completion of the GITMO shutdown... and say lying us into an invasion costing $12 BILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH like Bush or not vetting your VP pick who was so void of any knowledge international that she didn't understand the reasons for WW1, WW2 or why there was a North & South Korea (see new book Game Change) like McCain... it really is totally & utterly insignificant.

We have been over this "lying" thing before. I will grant you that the McCain/Palin ticket was nothing to get excited about, but again, that is hardly the issue.

I was merely discussing the multiple quagmires a la Bush.

Some of which you can still place in his lap, however when President Obama makes a promise (with an Executive Order) that it will be closed in 1 year, and then does not live up to it, it is his own fault.

If you believe that GITMO won't be shut down under President Obama I'll put you on the record for that right now. That's fine with me. So noted.

I will make that prediction right now. GITMO will not close before 2012.

No I did not. I'm more than happy to go with the intent and the exact time-line is not that important to me. Except in the case of repealing the Bush TORTURE directives which I felt was critical to move on immediately.

So when Bush announced we always "intended" to withdraw from Iraq, why was that not enough? Intent is 100% meaningless.

What you fail to see is that all these Red Herrings the Right keeps putting up are only useful to you while they are in process. Once the Health Insurance Reform Bill is signed it's over. Once the prisoners are moved from one secure location to another secure location it's over.

Again, they are banned from the US (except for trial) with broad bipartisan support. In addition, health care legislation is far from a done deal, I would almost be willing to say that they are unable to get that done too.

If neither of these get done before 2010, you can expect huge Democratic losses, making it that much harder to get anything done for Obama.