closing guantanamo

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General Who Opened Gitmo: It Was a Mistake

The whole detention strategy was wrong, Lehnert says

(Newser) - The Guantanamo Bay detention center was a huge mistake that should never have been opened, according to none other than the general who got it up and running in 2002. "In retrospect, the entire detention and interrogation strategy was wrong," Gen. Michael Lehnert writes in the Detroit Free ...

Close Gitmo, Already
 Close Gitmo, Already 
OPINION

Close Gitmo, Already

Time for Obama to make good on his promise, NYT says

(Newser) - President Obama has once again vowed to make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center , but his actions fall far short of his words, the New York Times writes in an editorial. The center, as Obama admits, is a "blight on the nation’s reputation"...

Guantanamo Bay Turns 10
 Guantanamo Bay Turns 10 

Guantanamo Bay Turns 10

And appears no closer to closure than it was 2 years ago

(Newser) - Today is a birthday, but probably not one you want to celebrate: Guantanamo Bay is turning 10, an anniversary that will be marked by protests here and abroad. Ten years ago, the first 20 detainees were flown to the detention facility in chains. Several of those 20 remain at Gitmo...

The Reason Guantanamo Still Isn't Closed

When it comes to resettling prisoners, others want US to go first

(Newser) - Two years ago yesterday, President Obama pledged to close the prison camps at Guantánamo Bay within one year. So why are they still open? Much of the blame falls on Congress, the Miami Herald reports. Because Congress won’t allow any of the captives—even those considered low-risk—to...

DC Consensus: Obama Should've Listened to Rahm

As big ticket failures abound, Emanuel's practicality could have helped

(Newser) - From health care reform to unemployment to Guantanamo Bay, many Washington insiders think President Obama would be much better off today had he listened to his brash-but-practical chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Top staffers like David Axelrod have a “strong view of the historic character Obama is supposed to...

Emanuel, Graham Hammering Gitmo Deal
 Emanuel, Graham 
 Hammering Gitmo Deal 
ODD BEDFELLOWS

Emanuel, Graham Hammering Gitmo Deal

Hard-nosed opposites form odd friendship

(Newser) - Rahm Emanuel and Lindsey Graham have become unlikely friends, and the most visible fruit of that friendship may be a new agreement on Guantanamo Bay. Emanuel hasn’t officially endorsed Graham’s plan—which would close the prison, but put the kibosh on civilian 9/11 trials, and allow the indefinite...

Obama Should Get Over His Gitmo Obsession
Obama Should Get Over
His Gitmo Obsession
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

Obama Should Get Over His Gitmo Obsession

And Detroit terror suspect should be in military custody

(Newser) - Charles Krauthammer finds the White House decision to try the Detroit terror suspect as a civilian nothing short of idiotic: A guy who was "singing quite freely" when he was seized was suddenly "lawyered up and shut up." Even if they wanted to try him eventually as...

US to Send 6 Gitmo Detainees Back to Yemen

Move breaks logjam, but risks sending them back into battle

(Newser) - The Obama administration plans to return six Yemeni Guantanamo detainees to their home country, a risky breakthrough that could lead to the release of dozens more detainees. The administration has been in high-level talks with senior Yemeni officials for months, trying to address security concerns, the Washington Post reports. The...

France, Hungary Take Gitmo Detainees

Italy to prosecute 2 others; 211 prisoners left in detention center

(Newser) - Two more detainees were released from Guantanamo Bay prison last night, marking incremental progress in the Justice Department's goal of closing the facility. Sabir Lahmar, an Algerian, was handed over to French authorities after having been found "innocent of any charges relating to the involvement in potential terrorist activities,...

Obama: We Won't Make Gitmo Deadline

Pres tells Fox's Major Garrett prison will close after Jan 2010

(Newser) - Guantanamo Bay prison won't close by the January deadline he set when he took office, President Obama admitted today, but he still hopes to shut it next year. Obama is "not disappointed" in missing the deadline, he says in a FoxNews interview airing this morning, since closing the facility...

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