Obama should return Guantanamo to Cuba, former U.S. envoy says

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama should return the naval base at Guantanamo Bay to Cuba, and some detainees could stay on at a U.S.-run jail there, a former U.S. envoy to Cuba said.

Obama, by negotiating a deal with Cuban leader Raul Castro about the base on the communist island, could build a long-term relationship with its people, said Michael Parmly, head of the U.S. interests section in Havana from 2005-2008.

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The U.S. base is a "historic anomaly" even though the two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 1961, Parmly wrote.

"The current partisan tensions on the (Capitol) Hill ensure that it would be an uphill climb, but it is the thesis of this paper that a similar bold step, akin to the Panama Canal, is called for regarding Guantanamo," he said, citing that 1977 U.S. return of the waterway to Panama as a precedent.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/02/uk-usa-cuba-guantanamo-idUKBRE9810LP20130902

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Here, here....

The base serves ZERO strategic interests. It just lets the Cuban-fascists maintain a poke in the eye of the Castro brothers. We should transfer the prisoners that are deemed to be subject to trial (i.e. those we haven't tortured) and are subject to prosecution to the U.S. and shut the entire operation.

[cstanleytech]

3. Agreed, its usefulness as a base is long over and its current use as a prison with almost no end

needs to be put to rest.

[msanthrope]

7. Can't move any Gitmo prisoners to the US mainland...it's against the law. nt

[Demeter]

2. It's too simple minded for 11th dimensional chess masters, hence will get no hearing

Maybe an exorcism...

[mazzarro]

10. Maybe this can add the 12th dimension to the chess game, afterall -- n/t

[treestar]

4. Does a President have the power to do that?

Doubtful.

[cstanleytech]

8. Nope. It would probably be up to congress and soonest it would happen probably

would be during the next round of base closings.

[SoapBox]

5. Agreed.

Although, since all the Libs, Pros and Dems are hating Obama so much, it almost guarantees a PukeBagger
for the next go around of the White House.

President PukeBagger will need Gitmo, so that he/she can ship off all the Obaama Hate'n Libs, Pros and Dems, when they
finally figure out that we had it fairly good under him versus the wack-job that will end up in charge.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Shocking to hear this from Michael Parmley, who was sent to Cuba by George W.

It's far more broadminded, more evolved than anything some of us would have ever expected from him.

It was wrong to pressure the Cuban leader into accepting this pathetic agreement in 1903. I read a moment ago the US tried to gain FIVE bases in Cuba, but failed, settled for Guantanamo.

The Revolutionary Government has NEVER cashed the paltry check the US pays them for annual rent of the entire base. Never. The issue was the principle.

[struggle4progress]

9. +