White House stands firm on Gitmo closure

[ProSense]

White House stands firm on Gitmo closure

by Jed Lewison

Greg Sargent:

The White House is pushing back hard on Joe Lieberman and select Republicans, who are seizing on the thwarted terror plot to renew calls for Guantanamo to be kept open, saying in no uncertain terms that the facility will still be closed because it remains a “national security imperative” to do so.

Lieberman and multiple Republicans have pointed to the would-be bomber’s training in Yemen to argue that closing Gitmo would be disastrous to our security because repatriating Yemenis housed there could let them re-join the terrorists’ war on the U.S.

But a senior administration official emails that plans to close the facility haven’t changed — and that the administration is sticking to its scheme of releasing some detainees and trying or indefinitely holding others.

It would be easy for the administration to cave to the Lieberman-GOP position that Guantanamo should remain open, especially given the near total silence of congressional Democrats. Nonetheless, as Greg points out, the administration is standing firm on its position that closing Gitmo strengthens national security.

Republicans want to turn this into a political issue, portraying Pres. Obama as an appeaser who wants to let terrorists roam free, but that line of attack has no connection to reality.

First, it was the Bush Administration that released two of the individuals apparently involved with the failed Christmas Day attack. Second, the administration's plan to close Gitmo also includes a plan to transfer detainees to a new maximum security facility in the U.S. where they will be subject to the U.S. legal system. Third, the closure of Gitmo will serve as a symbol to the rest of the world that no matter who may try to attack us, the United States is and will always be a nation that is governed by the rule by law, not fear.

Despite the GOP's political attacks, President Obama's decision to close Gitmo will make America safer and more secure; torture may warm the hearts and comfort the souls of some on the right, but torture doesn't work and torture doesn't save lives. Instead of imitating those whom they profess to hate, Republicans ought to rededicate themselves to the principles they claim to cherish. America would be stronger for it.

[NJmaverick]

1. Good for President Obama for not allowing himself to be bullied

by the right wingnuts!:applause:

[Smashcut]

2. Excellent.

K/R

[bvar22]

3. How cum....

...when an anonymous "administration official" says something that can be interpreted as "good" for the Obama Administration, Cheers, Applause, and Praise rain down from the heavens.

But when an anonymous "administration official" says something like "Obama meeting in secret with Pharmaceutical Industry Lobbyists" it is met with a firestorm of insults and attacks from the same people for posting something quoted from an anonymous "administration official"?

Close Gitmo?
GREAT.
Lets get it DONE!

[MadHound]

4. Cool, now when is he going to close the detention facility at Bagram AFB?

Oh, he's not. And the torture continues apace.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I really would not want to be the guy tasked with figuring out how to close that place

It's arguably a bigger clusterfuck than the economy. Bush/Cheney didn't keep records on a lot of these people because they never intended to try them.