Bid to shut Guantanamo roils Pentagon, White House, Congress

[Lite Beer]

Bid to shut Guantanamo roils Pentagon, White House, Congress
LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration's struggling quest to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is mired in state and federal politics. Frustrated White House and Pentagon officials are blaming one another for the slow progress releasing approved detainees and finding a new prison to house those still held.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter is facing criticism from some administration officials who complain that he has not approved enough transfers, even though 52 Guantanamo detainees are eligible. Carter's predecessor, Chuck Hagel, was forced from the Pentagon job in part because the White House felt he was not moving quickly enough to send detainees to other countries.

Two officials said the White House is frustrated because President Barack Obama discussed the issue with Carter when he was appointed this year to lead the Defense Department, and they believed Carter was on board with the White House's plans to act faster.

Other U.S. officials note that Carter has approved some transfers and is pushing his staff to move quickly to get more to his desk. But many other proposed transfers are slogging through the bureaucracy, under review by a long list of defense, military, intelligence and other administration offices. The transfers cannot be approved unless officials believe the detainees will not return to terrorism or the battlefield upon release and that there is a host country willing to take them.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook issued a statement Saturday saying that Carter shares Obama's commitment to closing the detention facility responsibly and has been working "deliberately and diligently" on a comprehensive plan.

"Working with our interagency partners and Congress, his top priority has been and will continue to be the safety and security of the American people," Cook said.

During his two years as Pentagon chief, Hagel approved 44 detainee transfers. Carter, in his first seven months, has transferred six.

Obama has promised to close the facility since he was a presidential candidate in 2008. He said it ran counter to American values to keep people in prison, many without criminal charges or due process.

Opponents have argued the detainees are essentially prisoners of war.

From a peak of 680 prisoners, 116 remain. Finding acceptable places for them has been an intractable problem.

"Finding a solution for these individuals involves complicated negotiations with international partners, extensive consultations with the leaders of the national security and legal organizations and final approval by me," Carter told reporters.

A key player in the process is Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dempsey, who spent more than three years as a commander in Iraq, continues to be very cautious in his recommendations for transfers. His opinions carry a lot of weight.

According to U.S. officials familiar with the process, Carter recently notified Congress of two transfers, and has four whose files are ready to go to Capitol Hill, likely later this month. Congress has 30 days to review the transfers before they are made public.

A number of U.S. officials familiar with the ongoing discussions spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the subject publicly.

The movement of detainees is only part of the challenge. A greater hurdle will be finding a U.S.-based prison to house the 64 detainees considered too dangerous to be sent to another country. Congress has opposed any effort to bring detainees to the U.S., so Obama's long-stated goal of closing Guantanamo before he leaves office in January 2017 is more likely to die on the steps of Capitol Hill.

Aware of those objections, the White House last month stalled Pentagon efforts to send a plan to Congress outlining several U.S. prisons that could be upgraded and used for the detainees. Early drafts of the plan included some rough estimates of the costs and the time needed for renovations.

U.S. officials said the administration was worried that sending the plan to Congress could have affected the crucial vote on the Iran nuclear deal by infuriating lawmakers who do not want the detainees moved to the U.S. or who adamantly oppose having them in a prison in their state or district. The resolution of disapproval of the Iran deal failed in the Senate, handing Obama a victory on that issue.

Three to five civilian facilities are being eyed as potential sites, officials said. A Pentagon team has gone to military facilities in South Carolina and Kansas to develop better estimates of construction and other changes that would be needed to house the detainees as well as conduct military commission trials for those accused of war crimes.

The visits to the Navy Consolidated Brig in Charleston, South Carolina, and the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas triggered immediate outrage from lawmakers and governors there.

Republican Govs. Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Sam Brownback of Kansas have threatened to sue the administration if detainees are brought to either state.

Both the House and Senate have pending legislation that would maintain prohibitions on transferring detainees to U.S. facilities. The Senate legislation allows the restrictions to be lifted if the White House submits a plan to close the facility and it's approved by Congress.

Republican Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has made it known he would consider a comprehensive plan to close Guantanamo, but said it must include answers to a number of tough legal and policy questions, including whether detainees held in the U.S. would have additional rights.

Carter has acknowledged the challenge of getting a U.S. facility approved by Congress, but has insisted that some lawmakers have indicated a willingness to consider a plan.

"This would be a good thing to do if — if we can all come together behind a plan to do it," Carter told reporters. "Our responsibility is to provide them with a plan that they can consider that is a responsible one."

___

Associated Press writer Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-13

[Toany]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts. Maybe they should try taking the plank out of their own eye before trying to take the splinter out of others.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Toany

[Credo]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts.

I am reasonably sure that wherever you are from, you can petition your gov't to take the remaining prisoners, if you want. Your free to do with them what you want, but it seems that not too many people want them.

[NeverSure]

^^^ Just send them all to Toany's house.

[Toany]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts.

I am reasonably sure that wherever you are from, you can petition your gov't to take the remaining prisoners, if you want. Your free to do with them what you want, but it seems that not too many people want them.

The criticism was about their human right charts and criticism of others. Not about what they are doing.

[stevenl]

Not in my backyard is whet they're saying, dump them with somebody else.

[CMNightRider]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

[spidermike007]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

[chuckd]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

"On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives."

Talk about being out of touch with reality...

[Toany]

The inmates at Guantanamo bay would not be taken prisoner today. People are now killed by drones remotely by the US and UK. no need for the expenses of a prison. So why not just release them and kill them later with a drone? But trusting US and UK intelligence reports gave us the IRAQ war because of the threat of weapons of mass destruction that did not exist.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Toany

[CMNightRider]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

What??? You think Obama is a "dream president for conservatives." I have read a lot of silly comments on this forum but this may top them all. Conservatives did not vote this guy into office. Just because Guantanamo is still open doesn't mean Obama is trying his best to shut it down.

[spidermike007]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

What??? You think Obama is a "dream president for conservatives." I have read a lot of silly comments on this forum but this may top them all. Conservatives did not vote this guy into office. Just because Guantanamo is still open doesn't mean Obama is trying his best to shut it down.

The lack of promises that he has fulfilled is a constant sign, of his lack of effort and his lack of sincerity. Either that, or his utter powerlessness. Many of his policies are moderate to liberal, but his results are downright conservative.

Edited September 13, 2015 by spidermike007

[MZurf]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Tell me; is Obama the anti-Christ? Do you believe he is a socialist, communist, liberal, gay, muslim, atheist, foreign born devil who want to take away your guns as well?

Must be tough being a good ol' boy and have an uppity negro in the White House!

[stevenl]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

What??? You think Obama is a "dream president for conservatives." I have read a lot of silly comments on this forum but this may top them all. Conservatives did not vote this guy into office. Just because Guantanamo is still open doesn't mean Obama is trying his best to shut it down.

Sorry, no. Nothing can top your post Mike was replying to.

[chuckd]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Tell me; is Obama the anti-Christ? Do you believe he is a socialist, communist, liberal, gay, muslim, atheist, foreign born devil who want to take away your guns as well?

Must be tough being a good ol' boy and have an uppity negro in the White House!

When liberals have nothing else, they can always rely on racism to fill out a post.

[gudtymchuk]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Wrong. He is not a liberal. He is as conservative as Tiny King George II. Did he close guantanamo? No. Did he end extraordinary rendition? No. Did he support the green movement as he originally promised? No. Did he end the war on Ganga, even though the states supported that? No. Did he support same sex marriage? Not until very recently, and then only grudgingly. Did he ramp down national security? Quite the opposite. He added billions to the budget. He is somewhere between a fascist and a conservative. But a liberal? I don't see it. On a lot of levels he is a dream president for conservatives.

What??? You think Obama is a "dream president for conservatives." I have read a lot of silly comments on this forum but this may top them all. Conservatives did not vote this guy into office. Just because Guantanamo is still open doesn't mean Obama is trying his best to shut it down.

Gitmo is still open only because The Idiot-in-chief is busy searching for more Bowe Bergdahls.....

Edited September 13, 2015 by gudtymchuk

[oneday]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts. Maybe they should try taking the plank out of their own eye before trying to take the splinter out of others.

Besides the fact you are comparing terrorists to people like those recently in the news, the Rohingya (apples and oranges), you would most certainly change your tune if it was YOUR country the terrorists have painted a target on. Terrorists have abdicated all of their rights. They are rabid animals and deserve to be treated that way.

[oneday]

Obama is the worst kind of liberal. He is giving the country away and wants to let terrorists go so they can kill more Americans. I can't wait until he is out of office.

[RIJoe]

I was stationed there in '69 (on watch as they landed on the moon). The worst station ever - unless you were willing to test the waters with some other guy's wife/family. We never had a soccer field. They had golf course - brown. I'm not a golfer but I hit one 500 yards because it bounced and bounced and rolled.

Keep the location (90 miles off Florida), but put the clowns in gen pop.

[Loptr]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts.

I am reasonably sure that wherever you are from, you can petition your gov't to take the remaining prisoners, if you want. Your free to do with them what you want, but it seems that not too many people want them.

Just turn them loose in the EU, after all, that's were all their buddies have gone...

[MyFriend You]

The inmates at Guantanamo bay would not be taken prisoner today. People are now killed by drones remotely by the US and UK. no need for the expenses of a prison. So why not just release them and kill them later with a drone? But trusting US and UK intelligence reports gave us the IRAQ war because of the threat of weapons of mass destruction that did not exist.

Yeah...they should be Thanking us for saving their lives...........

[devaram]

Actually they should sent back home to their own countries its absurd to wait for a third country to accept.

[Toany]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts.

I am reasonably sure that wherever you are from, you can petition your gov't to take the remaining prisoners, if you want. Your free to do with them what you want, but it seems that not too many people want them.

Just turn them loose in the EU, after all, that's were all their buddies have gone...

There are other ways to take over a country than fighting them. Just flood the country with your people. Soon the countries in the EU will have more Muslims than anything else.

[FritsSikkink]

I wonder where the US would be on there sanctimonious human rights charts.

I am reasonably sure that wherever you are from, you can petition your gov't to take the remaining prisoners, if you want. Your free to do with them what you want, but it seems that not too many people want them.

why should an other government take them? give them a fair trail first for a change and then keep them in a US prison when quilty or release them and pay them compensation if not quilty. how hard can it be?

[blazes]

I wonder how much Guantanamo costs to the American taxpayer?

[Thaidream]

Gitmo detention has cost the American taxpayer plenty and the United States has lost the respect of the World. Keeping people in detention without any chance for bail, without formal charges, without any type of way to actually get out or any appeal is completely against American traditions. Then doing it in a country that America considers a violator of human rights is the ultimate hypocrisy. And then attempting to speak out and criticize Thailand on human rights makes the whole thing even more ridiculous. Obama speaks a good game but he is weak. He could close Guantanamo right now and move the internees to a federal prison.. He has the power. The reason he doesn't is because the detainees then would be subject to American Law and most would be released. When you loose your honor and your reputation- there is not much left.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Thaidream

[CMNightRider]

Obama should be an inmate in Guantanamo for masquerading as a world leader and the threat he poses to the free world. Terrorists groups have their fingers crossed that Obama might actually pull this off. This is what the Castro's want.

Some say the president has naively ignored his top intelligence officials who have tried to explain to him, these are hardened militants that will return to the battle field once released. Obama is naive but he isn't stupid. Obama has done everything possible to undermine security for the free world and weaken America. The left are both naive and stupid. These people voted this fool into office and fully support his leftist agenda.

Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is the one who is going to go.

Tell me; is Obama the anti-Christ? Do you believe he is a socialist, communist, liberal, gay, muslim, atheist, foreign born devil who want to take away your guns as well?

Must be tough being a good ol' boy and have an uppity negro in the White House!

It looks like you are smoking those banana peels again. I didn't say anything about Obama being the Anti-Christ, or any of the other possibilities you mentioned. Those are your words. I did say he is a threat to the free world and is certainly anti-American.

As much as he would like to shut down Guantanamo, this will not happen. Guantanamo isn't going anywhere. Obama is going to go but will leave a trail of destruction behind him.

Adding the immature laughing icons to your ridiculous post wasn't necessary.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. The topic is about Guantanamo.

[kamahele]

I have to give credit to Obama for his 7 year effort to get this prison closed. The opening and use of this prison was an effort to subvert American law by holding prisoners overseas without benefit of trial. If any blame is to be given, it is to the conservative Republicans in government and our former president.

[Acharn]

It's all a crock of sh*t. Many prisoners were approved for transfer years ago. The long list of people who supposedly "have to approve" of the transfers it BS. It is totally invented, a thing made up by members of the executive branch, and could be reduced to an Assistant to an Assistant to a Deputy Secretary of Defense by a one paragraph executive order. The claim that "they have to be sure the 'detainees' will not return to terrorism" is malarky, as most of them were never involved with terrorism. It may be true that after being released some of the kidnapping victims joined terrorist groups, although I'd like to hear a description of what evidence there is for that. We know, for example, that the Pentagon has claimed "people returned to the battlefield" when they tried to sue the U.S. in their countries' courts, or wrote newspaper stories describing their experience at the hands of U.S. thugs. Bush and Cheney were well aware that most of the prisoners were innocent of any wrongdoing, and had no helpful information, but it would have hurt them politically to do anything publicly that would show that. The whole thing is illegal as hell, but the U.S. courts have been intimidated into not doing anything about it, and some congressmen make political hay claiming that the terrorists are going to kill us all. The whole thing has left me deeply ashamed of my country.

Edited September 13, 2015 by Acharn