Obama Makes Plans To Close Guantanamo

CBS Evening News: President-Elect Looks To Fulfill Campaign Promise; But What To Do With The Prisoners?

(CBS)  After he takes office, Barack Obama wants to close the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But if it's shut down, what does the government do with all those detainees?

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin has exclusively learned that the president-elect's transition team has already asked the Pentagon what it would take to move the prisoners at Guantanamo to the Navy base at Charleston, S.C.

It's a clear sign that the new president intends to make good on one of his most emphatic campaign promises.

One high profile terrorist, Jose Padilla, was held at the Charleston brig before facing trial. But major construction and extraordinary security would be required to house all 250 Guantanamo inmates there. Other military bases, including Camp Pendleton, Calif. are also being considered.

Whatever the location, moving the prisoners to the U.S. will open a Pandora's box of legal issues, says Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution.

"The real question is what is our detainee policy in the war on terrorism and that's a question that is, you know, is going to be very wrenching," Wittes said.

Would prisoners held in the U.S. be tried by military commissions as they would at Guantanamo or by civilian courts? The waterboarding of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohmmed could jeopardize even that case in a civilian court, warns former federal prosecutor David Laufman.

"Everything that comes out of a detainee's mouth afterward is likely to be tainted," Laufman said.

More than 100 of the inmates are considered too dangerous to release but not guilty enough to prosecute because the evidence against them can not be used in court. Would an Obama administration hold those prisoners without trial?

"There is going to be a sobering moment when they get into office and they actually look at these files," Wittes said.

The real question facing Obama: Will he change the rules under which captured terrorists are held, or just their address?

[donbl1]

This is a made up story by CBS as Obama will not be wasting his time on this in the first few weeks as the economy in January will still be in the toilet.

If he does close GTMO and the prisoners are released by US courts and THEN the prisoners are caught again fighting against US forces..... well, so much for Obama.

This error and failure would be all Obama''s if the remaining hardcore extremists do another attack against the US after release.

[ybotheratall]

I''m so very sure that he has PLENTY of friends through his "connections" that he will find excellent places for every one of them.

[lloydbest1]

"More than 100 of the inmates are considered too dangerous to release but not guilty enough to prosecute because the evidence against them can not be used in court. Would an Obama administration hold those prisoners without trial?"

Yeah, that''s a problem ain''t it?
One of the foundations of U.S. justice is being able to prove a crime has been committed and that the person being charged is guilty. What you know isn''t good enough; it is only what you can prove that counts.
Obama has two options...Charge those "...100 of the inmates..." with something and prosecute to the hilt or let the buggers go.
Of course nothing said above addresses the other 150. Aren''t they "dangerous" also? If they are, throw them in with the rest. If they aren''t then why are we keeping them?

[hermitdave]

Why not just let them go since Bush just bought them to make him look like a macho CIC. So far he hasn''t convicted any of them in a fair trial. Also he let many go after holding them a few years with no charges or rights to a trial. This is a black mark on America. Of course so is Bush.

[eclecticman1]

Now Obama has to restore our Constitution and everything this country has stood for in the fields of justice and human rights. It won''t be easy but it has to be done, if we are to re-take our rightful place at the head of the free world.

[birdyspice7]

Simple..

If they were apprehended in the U.S., then they should be given trials as is required by the constitution. If they are illegal, then they should be deported immediately after trial or their sentence. They may face more charges in their homelands.

If they were apprehended in Iraq or Afghanistan, then they should be handed over to those local officials to face trials in their homeland.

[stevex47]

"But What To Do With The Prisoners?"

Ya, how to clean up yet another one of boosh''s failures?

[pensacola98]

The constitutional question about the prisoners was already answered years ago by the ambassador of Afghanistan who indicated they would accept the prisoners and repatriate them. This is standard when hostilities are ended between countries. The Bush Administration held to the belief that since hostilities are not yet ended, we can wait to hand over the prisoners, once the O.B.L. or U.B.L. is either killed or captured

The US Supreme Court ruled that the prisoners resisted the US invasion of Afghanistan when hostilities occured, and ruled against the Bush Administration''s claim that the prisoners were acting solely for the defense of their beligerent selves.

Closing Guantanamo is a symbol of ending the double-standard conveniently created when another foreign policy failed.

The prisoners have the right to stay in the USA and request refugee status if they can convince the immigration service that return to their homeland will lead to their own death. Similar scenarios were faced with Vietnamese, Korean, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans who fought Communism.

Reguardless of what extremists say, the Supreme Court already has advocated and spoken for the rights of these prisoners. The extremists need to take up their differences with their conservative Supreme Court, not Barack Obama.

[edward1975-2009]

I hear he is looking to fill his cabinet. That could help out a few.

[sandycat2]

pennsacola, many of the Gitmo prisoners are not from Afghanistan. And these people are dangerous. If we let them go back to their countries they will not be in prison. They will be back on the battlefield killing Americans again.

[gwinginit]

This is absolutely brilliant. Let those people free to 1. go back and fight us again, or even better 2. Set them up with a free house and bank account in hmmm say Washington DC where they can''t hurt much. I mean how bad can it be if we lose a few hundred thousand government workers or God forbid politicians. Way to Go OBama You really are OSama''s right hand man.

[clovisbuford]

WASHINGTON %u2014 The Army general who led the investigation into prisoner abuse at Iraq''s Abu Ghraib prison accused the Bush administration Wednesday of committing "war crimes" and called for those responsible to be held to account.
The remarks by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who''s now retired, came in a new report that found that U.S. personnel tortured and abused detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, using beatings, electrical shocks, sexual humiliation and other cruel practices.
"After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts and reports from human rights organizations, there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes," Taguba wrote. "The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account."
errr...straight form the horses mouth ..

[yankeerebel7]

How about every Gitmo inmate move in next door to all the bleeding hearts calling for the detention center to be shut down?

[clovisbuford]

An eight-month McClatchy Newspapers investigation in 11 countries on three continents has found that Akhtiar was one of dozens of men %u2014 and, according to several officials, perhaps hundreds %u2014 whom the United States has imprisoned wrongfully in Afghanistan, Cuba and elsewhere on the basis of flimsy or fabricated evidence, old personal scores or bounty payments.
McClatchy interviewed 66 released detainees, more than a dozen local officials %u2014 primarily in Afghanistan %u2014 and U.S. officials with intimate knowledge of the detention program. The investigation also reviewed thousands of pages of U.S. military-tribunal documents and other records.
This unprecedented compilation shows that most of the 66 were low-level Taliban grunts, innocent Afghan villagers or ordinary criminals. At least seven had been working for the U.S.-backed Afghan government and had no ties to militants, according to Afghan local officials. In effect, many of the detainees posed no danger to the United States or its allies.
The investigation also found that, despite the uncertainty about whom they were holding, U.S. soldiers beat and abused many prisoners." lets thefacts speak , not that that deters the nuts here .like the 23% in my state who think obama is a muslim ..there is no cure for ignorance .. sadly

[clovisbuford]

How about every Gitmo inmate move in next door to all the bleeding hearts calling for the detention center to be shut down?
Posted by yankeerebel7 at 12:25 AM : Nov 15, 2008 those bleedinhearts include colin powell , williamm gates who is the current secretary of defence . gen taguba , most generals still in current service. oh right you listen to rush .and rush served where? ...and you? .you know better ..cough ..

[skysoldier75]

Yay! to closing Gitmo!

We finally have a "real" US President again - one that actually RESPECTS the US Constitution.

After 8 long years of the exact opposite, that alone is a VAST improvement!

[jb01201a]

The United States Constitution language is clear with respect to due process of law, rights of humanoids. There is no confusion the language is clear.
I love it when you, your party and your media try to equate these animals with the US Constitution but then again, you, your party and your media are animals and belong in Gitmo as well !

[skysoldier75]

"they aren''''t protected under the Constitution, because they aren''''t US citizens...they are protected under the Geneva Conventions which plainly state what to do with enemy combatants - when you people FN figure this out..???"

Posted by pelosilover at 12:45 AM : Nov 15, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The "principles" embodied in the US Constitution are supposed to be universal, aren''t they? Aren''t they, in fact, exactly what we are "exporting" abroad when we say we want to "bring American-style ''democracy'' to the rest of the world"?

Maybe you simply don''t know that, or understand it?

We either live by those principles that we espouse as a nation, or we''re just a bunch of hypocrites, aren''t we?

Gitmo is the best place I can think of to prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that we Americans don''t just "talk the talk" - we actually "walk the walk".

[skysoldier75]

"Obammie already siding with the Muslims..."

Posted by pelosilover at 12:49 AM : Nov 15, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, right! That must be why President Obama chose Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff - to "side with the Muslims".

LOL...silly Repug retards...give it up; you''re just not smart enough to come up with a consistent, intelligent, common-sense argument for anything.

[skysoldier75]

"do you think Obammie will RESPECT the Constitution when it come to the right to bear arms...???"

Posted by pelosilover at 12:52 AM : Nov 15, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have no doubt at all that President Obama will leave that issue just as it is right now -- UNLESS the US Supreme Court decides to reinterpret that part of the Constitution at some point in the future.

Until that day comes, I think your gun collection is perfectly safe. Try not to be SUCH a paranoid schizophrenic, my friend. ;-)

[jb01201a]

skysoldier75 - Hey Genius, the The United States Constitution is for US Citizens and not the animals at Gitmo. Its hard to believe the US Constitution protects anaimals like you, your party and your media !

[rhs648]

Welcome to America''s newest immigrants, the Muslim terrorists currently being held at Guantanamo Bay. Once on American soil, what neighborhood wants to be near the prision holding these people. How much more is it going to cost taxpayers to provide the lawyers and judges that will be handling these cases as they sue for rights normally afforded to American citizens? Will these people ultimately be freed on American streets when nobody else will take them? Great start for the Obama administration.

[skysoldier75]

LOL! Just listen to these poor Repug losers whine!

Y''all want some cheese to go with that?

Paranoid, irrational fear-mongers. They see terrorists everywhere, even in the Oval Office! It''s hilarious!

You retards don''t seserve to live in this country at all. You should move to some place that thinks like you think - maybe North Korea, Iran, China or Russia?

On second thought...they''d probably line all the whiners like you up gainst a wall and shoot you. Maybe you''d better stay here, where morons, nut cases and Republicans are at least "tolerated".

I''m curious tho; don''t you think that US prisons can hold those Gitmo guys? Do you think they''ll have any more luck escaping than any other prisoner has? Lol...

Irrational paranoia is treatable these days, you know. Get some professional help.

[skysoldier75]

"Hope one moves in next door to you after some bleeding heart POS atty get one released on a technicality...PS - they talked about putting those shi''''ite stains in a military prison, only problem there''''s NO FN ROOM!!!"

Posted by pelosilover at 01:20 AM : Nov 15, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, I don''t live next to a federal penitentiary, so no worries there!

Actually - if we move them to the US, the very LAST thing any terrorist would EVER want was to be let out on a legal technicality.

If that happened they would be totally at the mercy of gun-loving nuts like you - and they probably wouldn''t last a day, I don''t think.

This truly is a very scary country when it comes to scenarios like that one, LOL!

Anyway - ask your doctor for some Valium - a lifetime supply. And: don''t panic!

[rangerdahl]

Has B. Hussien Obama ever been to GTMO?...probably not. He will just make an arbritrary decision from 1,500 miles away. By the way, if we do move them, let''s put them in New England somwhere since they spunked all over themselves when B. Hussein got elected. If not there, then in Nancy Pelosi''s district where she can play grandma and bring them cookies and milk.

[benobana]

What is OBAMA going to tell the family that has just been killed by one of these nut that some-how got out with some-ones help, thinking that they was doing a good dead for this nut!

[troutfisher4]

rangerdahl

How about with McCain as well since he wanted this too

Posted by DJ_IL


Yawn. He lost.

[rangerdahl]

DJ_IL:

Ok, sounds good. Regretably, there are only so many of those guys to spread around. Otherwise, everyone whose heart is bleeding for them could have one of their own. These are bade dudes, period. I know, I have seen them throw sh#t, urine, puch, and spit on young American guards. Second, they are not guaranteed any rights under the constitution. Third, as long as they are in custody in Cuba, they aren''t causing problems elsewhere. Many of those relesed went right back to causing issues. But they won''t be back...it seems they either killed themselves or were killed by a well aimed shot in A-Stan. They are b@ttholes and there is only a couple of hundered of them...what is the big deal? B. Hussien should concentrate more the 30,000 Americans killed every year by other Americans with guns than the plight of these J@rk offs. And please, no speeches about America setting the example and all that bill of rights stuff applying. Most Americans can''t even find their own state on a on a map let alone Cuba.

[benobana]

I have been in Iraq for over 2.5 years, I work Iraqis on labor crews. These are hard core men that Obama is playing with. They live and die by the words that Americans joke about. If one of these nut casses gets out their is only one way that he will give up and that is seeing god for their 72 girls to rape!!

[skysoldier75]

"Has B. Hussien Obama...blah, blah, blah..."

Posted by rangerdahl at 01:30 AM : Nov 15, 2008

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, look! A rare and elusive "Hussein" name hater! They supposedly went extinct on Nov. 4th 2008 - but apparently one is still alive!

Has anybody seen all the "I Am Hussein" shirts that many of the big-box stores are selling this Christmas? "Hussein" actually means "Beautiful".

For a while some people posting here were using screen names like "sky-HUSSEIN-soldier" (for example) just to help the xenophobic Repug imbeciles get over that big scary name a little bit. Apparently some Repugs are still bothered by it though, lol.

Thankfully, though, most of us sane people have come to like it. I personally think everybody should have a Hussein in their name somewhere.

Eventually, the ever-paranoid and fearful Repugs would have to get over it.

[rangerdahl]

skysoldier75:

I appreciated your ad hominem diatribe greatly! I be your need a cigareete now since your bombast probably caused you to spew. In any case, why don''t you make yourself useful and go and get me a beer. I will be back from in June 09...you can have it waiting for me when I step off the plane.
By the way, you seem to e emotional about me using his middle name...I think it''s funny that we desposed a guy named "beautiful" in 2003 and the liberals elected one. In your next posting, please address the issue of the prisoners rather than my use of the name. I know you can''t wait to send your thin, pasty, manicured hands flying across the keyboard to answer my words. In the meantime, get me that beer SkyHusseinSoldier.

[skysoldier75]

@ rangerdahl:

I''ll have something waiting for you, all right! A nice red "I Am Hussein" t-shirt! From me to you!

Just send me your address!

If you want to buy ME one, you can send it to "skyHUSSEINsoldier" in care of Havoc (D Co) 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade.

You know where we are, right, poser?

Lol...

[rudy6543]

Posted by rangerdahl at 02:02 AM

I wonder if you ever sit down and think to yourself: "man, I am just one conceited fool diot and I am so full of krap, it''s amazing"?

No? Well, now you can.

[rangerdahl]

skysoldier75:

the 173rd is not the Rangers, never has been, never will be. Now go and get me that beer! I will bring you a t-shirt too. I bet it will need to be narrow in the shoulders. big in the waist, and small in the neck. Just like a typical prartroopers t-shirt. By the way, please telll me you are not on of thsoe poers who wears a mustard stain from that so-called "combat jump" into Iraq. Now that was a typical airborne community joke.

rudy6543: You can bring pretzels.

[rudy6543]

rudy6543: You can bring pretzels.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by rangerdahl at 02:20 AM

And I will gladly shove them up your nostrils.

[benobana]

Over 500,000 fugitive aliens that is living here in the USA now has a President that is helping them. The stock market is going south, our military is going to take a hit. WHAT"S NEXT!!!

[rudy6543]

Over 500,000 fugitive aliens that is living here
*********************

Learn to speak English, would you?

The stock market is going south, our military is going to take a hit. WHAT"S NEXT!!!
**********
Bush leaves office and executives get prosecuted for ripping off the taxpayers.

[skysoldier75]

@ rangerdoll:

If your daddy (assuming you ever even knew who he was) had been a Ranger, I''d have tab time on him too! LOL!

Why do you think I keep the number 75 at the end of my name? It was my very first permanent duty station, and I''ve been back to it more than a few times since then. It''s kind of like a home away from home, to me.

But that''s neither here nor there. If you want a beer, get off your fat, lazy pogue *** and fetch it yourself, boy! You probably need the exercise, Hussein Ranger buddy!

Sua Sponte and ta-ta, poser!

[skysoldier75]

A terrorist is far safer in Gitmo than he will ever be right here in the good old US of A.

Bring them here, so that we may look upon them, and sneer.

If they escape incarceration or are released on some technicality while here on US soil, then poor them! I wouldn''t want to be in their shoes. Better to take you chances with the sharks off Gitmo than on the streets of the US, any day.

[benobana]

PANTIES? What are you a "***"!! With over 2.5 years living in Iraq, being tatal-disable working in a war zone, fighting for our freedoms, please tell me about being a coward. As for my english, KISS MY 6

[rangerdahl]

skysoldier75:

I assume that from the ta-ta you are leaving. What a shame to have a wit such as yours depart from this intellectual forum. I made the assumption that the 75 was the score on your last PT test. And who is to say I was wrong about that?
I will have the x-small t-shirt sent to you as soon as I can find one that tiny. I think they have some for spouses and children that run that small.
Until then, have my beer ready and cold. I have earned it.

By the way using LOL and all that text message and computer lingo speaks volumes about you SkyhusseinSoldier...you''re probably just a kid. If you were of any age at all or experienced you wouldn''t still be in a company, you would be retired or at a higher level of unit. You must be wet behind the ears or just not a good Soldier.
By the way, making my name into doll was clever, my hat is off to you. Dahl means valley in Norway. Hence the meaning "rangervalley". It''s not my name paraturder, nice try. Do you actually have that mustard stain?

[benobana]

"***" = a 3 dollar bill

[stevedoer]

Well all the libs got what they wanted, bring all the a** holes over and give them housing in pontiac mich or new jersey.. also food stamps would be a plus. go socialism . the USA as we know it is now f****d. 350 plus of the most dangerous people in the world are going to be given rights.. As one our founding fathers said.. The great Ben Franklin " We are the most powerful country in the world, surrounded by two oceans ,BUT we will do ourselves in from within" the chickens have come home to roost.... SSAADD BUT TRUE.. God help us ...........

[benobana]

I guest sighnrich big sister came home drunk "again" and made little brother sleep on the couch "again"

[tigerrram9]

To all my fellow soldiers out there, good morning. I believe if Guantanamo Bay is closed, the detanees should be put under military confinement here in the US. Their detention was based on terroristic acts during war, therefore they should be placed in a military prison. They would be under 24 hour watch and more cost effective than putting them in regular federal prisons. The military personnel on watch would not require any overtime or other federal employment benefits. We are the military and we are charge with keeping our country safe at a very low cost effective expense. It is a good move by President Elect Obama to close down Guantanamo Bay, very good move. I think McCain would agree with this move.

[benobana]

May-be big sister made little brother take off her panties "again"

[benobana]

What if one of these nut cases get''s out, you know that some dumb american will try to help them, thinking that they are doing them a faver. americans that hasn''t been over their don''t know how they think. It''s a joke that someone belives that they will get 72 virgins, meet GOD in person and have your picture put on a wall with all of the other great DUM-A$$ES that got killed beliving this, they live to kill and will die doing this!!

[skysoldier75]

@ rangerdoll:

The LOL''s are just ''cuz the outstanding home-brewed hootch they make here is just kickin'' in. Fear not! Tomorrow they will all be transformed into groans! But, for now at least, life is good!

Seeing as you''re getting short now, you better think about your future, you know? First tour for you? First enlistment?

Either way, best you just stay in boots Ranger buddy, ''cuz there''s nothing open, job-wise, for a guy with your (okay; our) particular job skill set in THIS economy, that''s for damned sure! Bush definitely saw to that!

Seeing as they''re shutting down Iraq, Blackwater, DynCorp, Triple Canopy and the other PMC''s, and the police and fire departments at home are laying people off in droves now, not hiring more, things are especially tight job-wise for ex-grunts like you and me in this new rapidly crumbling economy.

Wall Street is flat broke, you won''t even be able to even buy an American-made car in a while, and the unemployment rate is sky-rocketing, the military is really your only hope for continued employment, since you really have no "marketable" skills to speak of. None that anybody at home needs, anyway.

You''re in for a truly interesting homecoming come July, Ranger buddy. Hope you''re prepared, and can handle it. Next time don''t vote for a loser Republican, and your prospects may be a bit better.

Sua Sponte, and good luck! I really do have to run along and play now. My Hussein buddies are missing me!

[ffoulkes-2009]

You sound a little bit like a terrorist yourself. It is about time the mobile terrorist detection unit came around to your house to determine if you are a "true" American.

Posted by curse914 at 12:33 AM : Nov 15, 2008
___________________________________________________
Sorry, but Obama has to wait till January to activate that particular unit.

[ffoulkes-2009]

As previously stated, I don''''t agree with this. Personally I have my own opinion but I am afraid that posting such would really cause more of an uproar than I need to deal with. But lets just say it deals with an undeveloped island in the middle of no where and an attomic bomb

Posted by DJ_IL at 01:48 AM : Nov 15, 2008
_____________________________________________
True...we are overdue some thermonuclear testing....