Six-Month Delay for Obama-Gitmo Report

Washington Post: Task Force on Detentions Still Working, Though Administration Remains Committed to Closing Prison

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Peter Finn.

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The Obama administration is delaying completion of reports examining U.S. detention and interrogation policy, officials said Monday, in a sign of the formidable issues it faces in grappling with how to handle terrorism suspects as it prepares to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

The work of a Justice Department-led task force, which had been scheduled to send a report on detention policy to President Obama on Tuesday, will be extended for six months, according to senior administration officials. A second task force examining interrogation policy will get a two-month extension to complete its work, which had also been due Tuesday.

"These are hard, complicated, consequential decisions," one official said in a White House briefing in which four officials spoke to reporters on the condition that the officials not be named. "What we are trying to do is to make sure that we make the right decisions. And so they are looked at, they are reviewed and re-reviewed. By teeing them up to the president, we want to make sure that we have looked at every single angle, because he will challenge us on these issues."

The officials said the administration remains committed to closing the prison in Cuba by January 2010, as Obama ordered, but the delays are an indication of the political and legal complexities of making good on the president's timeline.

Some of the Guantanamo Bay detainees may be deemed too dangerous to release but also too difficult to prosecute in federal court or before a military commission.

Officials said Monday that it is still unclear how many Guantanamo Bay prisoners might be placed in some system of prolonged detention, and how that system might be structured. But they said that Obama will seek congressional backing for any system and not unilaterally assert his authority to hold detainees indefinitely under the laws of war. Officials had previously said they were considering an executive order to establish a system of indefinite detention.

"There is no intent in the administration to rely on anything other than congressional authority," said one senior administration official. He said any system of prolonged detention would include periodic follow-up reviews on whether a detainee continued to pose a threat to national security.

A separate interagency task force is examining the cases of the 229 detainees who remain at Guantanamo Bay, and is on track to complete its work by October. Officials said more than half those cases have been reviewed, with recommendations to transfer more than 50 detainees home or to third countries, and to prosecute others.

While the task force report focusing on detention policy has been delayed, officials released an interim report on Monday evening. It said the decision on where to prosecute detainees will be made by lawyers from the Justice Department's national security division, along with personnel from the Defense Department, including military prosecutors. Various factors will be considered, including the need to protect intelligence sources and methods, and "evidentiary problems that might attend prosecution in the other jurisdiction," according to the report.

The report does not specify what kind of evidentiary problems might arise. Human rights groups argue that military commissions, even if restructured, offer a lower standard of justice because of the ability, in some circumstances, to allow in evidence obtained under duress.

The six-month delay in deciding on detention policy, coupled with the need to craft and pass legislation, suggests that the closing of Guantanamo Bay will come down to the wire. In separate interviews, some administration officials have said they fear the closing date could slide.

One official said that, in its efforts to resettle detainees, the government is making "good progress with a number of European countries and countries outside of Europe." He cited, in particular, the Pacific island of Palau, which has offered to settle Chinese Uighurs held at Guantanamo Bay who have been ordered released by the courts. Four Uighurs have been resettled in Bermuda.

The official said some countries are willing to help the administration even though Congress has barred the administration from resettling any detainees in the United States.

"If there are constraints, that's the terrain we have to deal with, and we will," one official said.

[Optimistic_Dude]

Whether you consider this administration's campaign promise of this closing as a 'commitment' or now a 'goal', I believe it'll happen, but it's a terribly complicated problem to be solved. http://www.newsy.com/videos/questioning_the_delay_of_gitmo_closure

[speakinup22]

THIS is what happens when you have the media MAKE the news instead of REPORTING the news.


It was no mistake that Hanoi Jane happened to be married to one of the largest News media moguls, Ted Turner.

Obama could do no wrong in the news media's eyes. 17 times he had his face on the cover of TIME magazine, and was reported in a positive light 16 times. McCain 3 times, and it was negative twice.

Of course, some would say McCain's treatment was fair. Because they believe he was the lesser candidate. They would be the same people still supporting this President that has been losing popularity at breakneck speed. Too stupid to understand reality.

Now he doesn't want to report on the budget on time, because it is going to kill his chance to spend even more money if he does. Inflation has already been talked about. And, he probably couldn't pay for his Health care "reform" if there was a 100% tax on all of the current holdings of the rich.

Reality just ain't his forte, is it. And, now the media is having to rake the "golden one" over the coals. 'Bout time THEY started facing reality. They have done enough to s-crew the country.

[thusspokezara]

Obama should tell those recalcitrant Democrats: "If you don't support my policies, I am gonna put those terrorists in your state. And I am gonna have Rham run the campaign of your opponent next primary. And guess what? I am gonna oppose you every step of the way. " Then once he has filled the Congress with Democrats to his liking then maybe we can get some things done.

[beaumuff]

Don't get so hasty! Even some of the dems wonder what this community organizer is doing. More and more are wondering all the time whats going on, thats why his celebrity status is dropping like a rock.

[beaumuff]

Looks like Obama is having more delays all the time. He didn't delay the stimulis being shoved through congress with no thought or plan whatsoever. Now he wants another great bill passed real quick with all the great planning just like the stimulis. Your health care.

[thusspokezara]

Obama wants to close Guantanamo, but he is getting opposition from some in his own Party. Obama should get tough with these in name only Democrats. He should send Rham to tell them: If you don't support the closing of Guantanamo, guess where we are going to put these prisoners? In your district. That should get their cooperation.

[vietnamwar]

He should send Rham to tell them: If you don't support the closing of Guantanamo, guess where we are going to put these prisoners? In your district.

HOW ABOUT NEXT TO YOUR HOUSE.

[speakinup22]

Yup - looks like he made a promise he can't keep - reminds me of a joke:

A woman in a hot-air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

"She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be an Obama Democrat."

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going.. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."





Now, it is true, that Obama inherited Gitmo Prison facility, but he's also the one that made the promise to his supporters.

How's that hope and change working out for ya'll ?

[vietnamwar]

Obama open his big mouth too early eh..

[speakinup22]

Yeah, it would seem our community organizer President has exposed his need for political training wheels once again.

That is, if he didn't intentionally mislead his supporters in order to get their votes in the first place.

Either way, he is totally unqualified for the job.

What's really funny is how the libs all screamed about how Bush spent money, and this putz is going to spend millions to have some south pacific country take 19 of these men without a country.

But, that's reality when you are a liberal.



Anyway, remember to contact your representative and let them know that Healthcare "reform" ain't gonna happen on this ignoramus' demanded time. The resulting inflation will cause all of our money to be worthless.