Guantanamo should close within 3 years: report

[ElmoBlatz]

Source: Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - President Barack Obama should be able to close the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay during his first term, despite missing his original deadline, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Wednesday.

U.S. special envoy in charge of closing Guantanamo, Daniel Fried, said Washington was in talks with several governments about hosting more detainees from the military prison in Cuba.

"Yes," he said, when asked whether closing Guantanamo in the three remaining years of Obama's term was realistic. "I am confident it will be closed under President Obama's first term," he told reporters in Brussels.

"That's one of the reasons we are here. We wanted to brief our European colleagues about our progress," he said after meetings with European Union officials to drum up support for resettlement in the bloc.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60Q6IP20100127?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29&utm_content=Twitter

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Or not.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. If the previous admin had WANTED to close Gitmo

It would have been done within days if not hours and we'd only hear about it after the fact.

Democrats either can't do anything or they aren't trying.

[jaxx]

4. So fill me in on the negotiations, I wasn't invited to attend.

Where have they decided to put the unmentionables? How many more can be returned to their, or other countries willing to take them? Why did bush leave 250 there when he's sent so many back? And why those 250? Bush wanted Gitmo closed, he said so. Now you are saying he could have done within days, if not hours. Seems like that concept is all wet because of those left there for Obama.

[Mithreal]

5. It's not just your fellow DU'er that said it could be closed swiftly.

For years it was agreed by folks from the right and the left it needed to be closed and now the best excuse provided is, it's so hard?

[jaxx]

7. Evidently it is so hard.

The crybabies don't want the prisoners in the US. IL excluded, we'll take them and the money the prison will bring to the state.

And then there is that little matter of the torture...and how it would affect tribunals or trials.

Once again President Obama is moving on the matter, and damned if it's not quick enough for the instant gratification line.

[Mithreal]

14. Your instant gratification reference exposes you as someone

who will accept any excuse.

I am not that far from believing as you do, I am just very weary of believing anything this President says anymore.

[jaxx]

19. I don't accept any excuse and I haven't seen any offered.

What I see is the cold, hard reality of getting the place emptied.

[Mithreal]

26. You see what you want to see. Like I said I am not that far from

believing how you do even though these words may not show it.

And you excuse impotence. Well, I don't think the President is impotent.

You know why that prison isn't being closed? Politics and MASSACHUSETTS. The President ignores the facts of that election and is acting like a political coward.

[FiveGoodMen]

8. "Bush wanted Gitmo closed, he said so"

Well, then, there can hardly be any doubt about it, can there?

Bush wouldn't lie.

[jaxx]

11. Jeez here we go.

I post with some wingers at another site and they give me the same bullshit. I know you didn't mean it like that, did you? I'm sure you support the president in getting it closed.

[FiveGoodMen]

13. I support getting it closed.

I don't think Obama supports much of anything that he pays lip service to.

[jaxx]

18. Well you're wrong about the president.....

And it sucks to see a dem bad mouthing him.

[Mithreal]

21. And you know that because?

It does suck. But the problems are not sucking rhetoric. The problems are people's fundamental human and Constitutional rights are being violated and the President's economic policies are running roughshod over the lower and middle classes.

Then President Obama should have tried harder, you know.

[jaxx]

24. This is where the spin gets spinning.....lower and middle class?

Are they in Gitmo?

I will leave you to your frustration.

[Mithreal]

27. You are the one that brought up the question of what sucks

That your mind is incapable of recognizing how others may respond to that idea you threw up is surprising.

Would that my position were only one of frustration.

[FiveGoodMen]

22. How could you possibly know that?

[Mithreal]

29. Doesn't. Got nothing but excuses and slogans.

[Mithreal]

3. Just privatize it or place an "Under New Management" sign like Bagram

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1232665/Why-Bagram-Guantanamos-evil-twin-Britains-dirty-secret.html

Guantanamo was bad for what it represented. I don't know who the President thinks he is fooling by closing the doors on this location and continuing the franchise elsewhere.

I get it that closing this prison would be a "step" that we should not ignore and should cheer but most of the world is on to us.

[Fearless]

6. "Should" = campaign promise broken

[jaxx]

9. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

If he'd waited 3 years to get it started you'd have something to cry about.

[Fearless]

10. If it takes the president YEARS to close a prison...

Then he isn't trying.

[jaxx]

12. And you know this how?

Rush been talking again? Hannity? Beck? That is their spin.

[FiveGoodMen]

15. Yes, when someone makes a point, the best way to counter it is to smear them!

Whose playbook is that from?

[Mithreal]

16. +1

[jaxx]

20. It's from yours.

Look at what you are saying about the President.

[Mithreal]

23. The President is a tough guy, I am sure he will live.

Protecting the President from angry words must be a full time job?

[jaxx]

25. LOL yes it is.

I'm the base.

[Mithreal]

28. No, you seem to be the bumper sticker.

[FiveGoodMen]

30. Now THERE'S a statement I won't argue with!

You're the base.

[jaxx]

31. Awwwwww

[Mithreal]

33. jaxx, are you trying to provoke something that kills this thread?

Either that or you are insanely childish. I am sure there are other possibilities.

[jaxx]

34. Nope, I'm just giving back what I'm getting.

You might want to think about that.

[Mithreal]

35. Waaa and Awww are what you are getting?

How am I supposed to take you seriously? Look at how you responded upthread.

How about you consider focusing on substance and lay off the excuses?

[jaxx]

36. I don't see any substance in bashing the Democratic president.

[Mithreal]

37. It only looks like bashing because he is making some wrong decisions

and your rhetoric seems to treasure the excuses. And saying you gave what you got was disingenuous.

I know you don't see things my way. I know it looks like people are "bashing" him, it just hurts more because you hear it from Dems. If he does the pivot or turn around, believe you me all of DU will roar. It confuses me to no end that people hold tight to the President even when he is continuing conservative agendas. It looks sycophantic or hero worship. The face of the President is less important than our Constitution and principles. What we choose to fight for matters. I don't expect you to understand, but there it is.

[jaxx]

38. No, I never understand someone talking down to me.

But then I consider the source and go on my way. I've given you way too much of my time.

[Mithreal]

39. I did my best to help you understand my pov.

If you want to avoid people "talking down to you" you might remind them of your superior place in society and how we are subordinate to you. You might also leave out the AWWWW and WAAAA, that does seem to weaken your defense.

And I appreciated your opinion. To the extent I disagreed, I challenged that opinion.

We are going to need people like you to help see us through the mess, just don't try and pull the wool over our eyes. Go on your way then, I wish you well.

[Fearless]

42. +1

[Fearless]

41. No actually they don't want it closed... I do... What the hell are you smoking?

[Mithreal]

17. People see through the marketing and gimmicks. It's gonna make your job

that much harder.

I know where I stand, and that is on human rights, not excuses.

[Mithreal]

32. Fairly important story to have zero recs.

[PSPS]

40. In other words, it won't be until after Obama gets the boot that anythhing proper will be done.

I guess those campaign promises U-bama kept making were intended for his successor after his one dismal term as bush's stand in.