Admiral to review Guantanamo operations

[unhappycamper]

Admiral to review Guantanamo operations
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 3, 2009 15:21:25 EST

The Navy’s No. 2 admiral will head up a White House-ordered review of detention operations at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

Adm. Pat Walsh, vice chief of naval operations, will travel to the detention facility at the request of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said at a news conference.

The review stems from the set of executive orders issued Jan. 22 by President Obama that require the closure of the controversial detention facility at Guantanamo Bay within one year. In addition to ordering Gates to halt military commission proceedings until the review is complete, the orders also established a review process, with a goal of deciding the fate of the detainees before the closure.

The Walsh review will appraise detention operations at Guantanamo “to ensure that they are in compliance with Common Article 3” of the Geneva Conventions, which mandates the humane treatment of enemy detainees. Morrell said the Defense Department believes that’s not a concern.

“We believe that operations down at Gitmo have been in compliance ... for some time and are still so,” Morrell said. “But we take this tasking from the White House very seriously. And that’s why the secretary has asked the four-star flag officer to go down there and put fresh eyes on the situation ... and bring back the most up-to-date assessment of detention operations.”


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_guantanamo_review_020309w/%2e