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Despite using it as a nice applause line at the UN, President Obama has very little hope of closing Guantanamo by his self-imposed one-year deadline.
As usual, The Washington Post provides a very good look at how we got to where we are today.
White House Regroups on Guantanamo
Things I noted:
Frankly, given the obstacles, barring some significant and unexpected domestic or international development, I don't see how this gets done even within the next year, or years beyond.
As usual, The Washington Post provides a very good look at how we got to where we are today.
White House Regroups on Guantanamo
Things I noted:
- There are still over 200 detainees with plans to continue to indefinitely hold 50-60 of them somewhere. That means they need to find homes for 150 of these guys. Where are they going to send them, and equally importantly, when?
- Congress has voted several times to specifically prevent the administration from using funds to relocate any of the detainees to the U.S. I don't think public sentiment has changed at all on this. If Guantanamo is closed, where will these detainees go?
- Larry Craig, the architect of the "close Guantanamo within one year" plan, has been removed from overseeing the process and is now being considiered "for a seat on the bench or a diplomatic position." He's been replaced by Pete Rouse, a "problem solver" with little national security experience or expertise.
- The release of those four Uighurs to Bermuda was far from smooth. Not a good precedent to set when dealing with our friends.
Frankly, given the obstacles, barring some significant and unexpected domestic or international development, I don't see how this gets done even within the next year, or years beyond.
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