Obama Undecided On Gitmo Detainees

Tentative Plan To Release Some Detainees In U.S. Has Drawn Criticism

(AP)  Last updated at 7:05 p.m. EDT

A White House spokesman says the Obama administration has not decided whether or not to release Guantanamo Bay detainees in the United States.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday that President Barack Obama has made clear "we're not going to make any decision about transfer or release that threatens the security of this country."

Asked if that meant he was ruling out releasing any detainees in the United States, Gibbs said: "I'm not ruling it in or ruling it out."

A tentative plan to release some Guantanamo detainees in the United States drew fierce opposition from Republicans and many Democrats in Congress, forcing the Obama administration to shelve the plan to bring some Chinese Muslims known as Uighurs to the state of Virginia. The Uighur detainees at Guantanamo were found not to be enemy combatants by the Pentagon, but few nations have been willing to accept them, out of fear of angering China.

This past week, four of the 17 Uighurs being held at Guantanamo were sent to Bermuda, and the Pacific islands nation of Palau said it would accept others.

Gibbs told reporters progress has been made this week in the administration's goal of closing the detention center in Cuba by early next year.

Seven detainees have been shipped out of Guantanamo so far this week, including three more Friday to Saudi Arabia.
The Justice Department said the trio will be subject to judicial review in Saudi Arabia before they participate in a rehabilitation program administered by the Saudi government.

With the latest transfer, the U.S. has removed 10 detainees from Guantanamo in the past week, sending four to Bermuda, one to Chad, one to Iraq, and one to face trial in New York City. That leaves 229 detainees still at the U.S. military detention center in Cuba.

The three men sent to Saudi Arabia are Khalid Saad Mohammed, Abdalaziz Kareem Salim Al Noofayaee and Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair.

[ReallyMeanIt]

When you have a community organizer playing president, this is what you get.
Making a decision that is naive, thoughless, dangerous and a total lack of foresight.
The joke is barrack thinks he knows better than anyone else.
Posted by ReallyMeanIt at 1:37 AM : Jun 14, 2009

Your post is thoughtless and just typical neo rhetoric. There is no danger at all. We already house terrorists in American prisons.

The joke is your post.
Posted by stuart2012
----------------------------------------------------------
Well, stuart2012, as a know it all, you seemed very ignorant.
You reminded us of baghdad bob, the one who claimed there's no American forces in the city while American tanks are roaming in the background.
The joke is you not getting the joke.

[ReallyMeanIt]

When you have a comunity organizer playing president, this is what you get.
Making a decision that is naive, thoughless, dangerous and a total lack of foresight.
The joke is barrack thinks he knows better than anyone else.

[Aldymac]

Those of you who think good forien policy will do the trick and that they aren't any other than just like you,,, why don't you take a personal interest and bring them into your own home to retrain so they won't return to wanting to kill Americans. I believe if anyone can do that, you people can.
Sooo, whats stopping you?,,,,fear?

[jwesel1]

I am generally a supporter of Obama, but closing Gitmo is a mistake.

Not only does it cost taxpayer money, but the time it takes our president to deal with this plan of his eats up precious time that could be spent on other things, such as how to improve our economy, or dealing with North Korea.

I say keep Gitmo open for business, because this country has other things it needs to be worried about.

That's AS I SEE IT. I'm Mike "Mainer Mike" Brown.
Posted by mainermike at 6:59 AM : Jun 13, 2009
===================================================================
Economics 101 for you: Keeping gitmo open also costs money

[promaclaura]

I say keep Gitmo open for business, because this country has other things it needs to be worried about.

That's AS I SEE IT. I'm Mike "Mainer Mike" Brown.
Posted by mainermike at 6:59 AM : Jun 13, 2009

Very practical Mike and I want Obama to concentrate on North Korea as well. Unfortunately he has backed himself into a corner on Gitmo and will appear the loser no matter what direction he turns. Too bad Obama didn't approach Gitmo in a "practical" manner, instead he created a bigger "publicity" mess.

[mainermike]

This is AS I SEE IT, by Mike "Mainer Mike" Brown.

I am generally a supporter of Obama, but closing Gitmo is a mistake.

Not only does it cost taxpayer money, but the time it takes our president to deal with this plan of his eats up precious time that could be spent on other things, such as how to improve our economy, or dealing with North Korea.

I say keep Gitmo open for business, because this country has other things it needs to be worried about.

That's AS I SEE IT. I'm Mike "Mainer Mike" Brown.

[promaclaura]

Overall, they are the same as us. We just expend huge resources out of fear, to find out what good foriegn policy could have done if it had been used in the first place.
Posted by pensacola8-2009 at 6:40 AM : Jun 13, 2009

No, they are not the same as "me", but go ahead a feel like "their" comrade if you want too, it's your right to "be in the same league" with detainees if you so desire. Pretty strange though.

[pensacola8-2009]

The Guantanamo Bay Refugees are not the responsibility of any other nation but the United States. We arrested them. We detained them. We bear the responsibility for them.

They should be welcomed to live in the USA and if doubts exist, then they should be guarded with the same resources we use to guard President Obama. As time passes, if they wish to leave the USA, they can. No one better than the Secret Service can watch the detainees. The political statement would be bold and become the envy of the world. If any detainee goes out of line, the Secret Service can produce evidence faster than anyone else, to support a prosecution and support a conviction and a subsequent and legal incarceration.

If they decide to live in Washington DC, they can. If they decide to acquire education, they can. If they decide to go on speaking and touring circuits and talk about human rights, they can.

If they decide to acquire employment, they can. President Obama should have every Gitmo refugee near him under his radar. He made the political issue about it and we are talking about human lives. They are political trophies....similar to Cuban asylees during the Cold War.

If they misbehave, the Republicans can make a fuss about it. If they prosper, the Democrats can make a fuss about it.

My prediction, is that they are the same as other political asylees. Some are good and some are not. Overall, they are the same as us. We just expend huge resources out of fear, to find out what good foriegn policy could have done if it had been used in the first place.

[promaclaura]

When will we realize we have two options for dealing with these scum? (1) keep Gitomo open and (2) execute them.

I vote for #2.
Posted by CarlR609 at 6:24 AM : Jun 13, 2009

Isn't it just great that he repeated to the Muslim world in his recent speech that he is closing Gitmo? Do you think Muslims will be understanding of "how hard it is to close" and give Obama a pass? Our liberal media and Obama pumped up the world on this one and it seems to be deflating fast, Muslim support of Obama will deflate with it and increase the anger at the U.S. for not keeping a promise. So who will Obama defer to, U.S. citizens and their desires or Muslim desire for the release of their extremists? If Obama goes against the majority of American people and sides with Muslims he will be showing his true colors.

[promaclaura]

The only enjoyment I can find from this situation is that now "detainees" get to hobnob with Hollywood elite on Bermuda. LOL. Maybe the stars who have homes on Bermuda can invite some released prisoners over for drinks.

Seriously though, Bermuda and the British are pissed about how Obama handled this one. First the British weren't told and second the citizens of Bermuda don't want these guys either and worry it will hurt their tourism. This whole scenario is unraveling before our eyes, other countries are saying "we are not taking prisoners in our country" if the U.S. won't take them in their country. What are you going to do Obama? The Democrat congress doesn't want them either, placing you in a very awkward position.