Vote Hurts Obama’s Push to Empty Cuba Prison

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Congress voted Wednesday to impose strict new limits on transferring detainees out of the Guantánamo Bay prison, dealing a major blow to President Obama’s vows to shut down the center and give federal court trials to many of the prisoners.

The Guantánamo provisions were contained in a major defense authorization bill, which both chambers passed on the last day of Congress’s lame-duck session. It is considered highly unlikely that Mr. Obama will veto the bill because it also authorizes billions in spending for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Robert M. Chesney, a University of Texas law professor who specializes in national security matters, said the legislation would make it even harder to close the prison, at the American military base in Cuba. He said the next Congress, in which Republicans will have more power, was likely to keep or even intensify the restrictions.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/politics/23gitmo.html

[Downwinder]

1. If they are going to keep it open, put some war criminals there.

[Mr. Sparkle]

2. The republicans only put that in the bill to make The President look bad.

They make me sick !

[SpartanDem]

7. The Dems are just as guilty

with few exceptions from day one they refused to back Obama on it.

[IamK]

3. Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay

Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay
January 22, 2009 10:40 AM

The Obama administration called on Thursday for the closure of Guantanamo Bay within the next year. The move will be greeted with widespread approval around the world, the end of a blotch on America's image abroad. Coming in the form of an executive order, it carries with it the power of law.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/22/obama-and-guantanamo-unde_n_159849.html

[boppers]

5. All the EO's in the world can't create funding, or willing alternatives.

:(

[Javaman]

6. Well he has little over a month to keep that promise.

I'm holding my breath.

[IamK]

4. Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay

Obama Signs Executive Order To Close Guantanamo Bay
January 22, 2009 10:40 AM

The Obama administration called on Thursday for the closure of Guantanamo Bay within the next year. The move will be greeted with widespread approval around the world, the end of a blotch on America's image abroad. Coming in the form of an executive order, it carries with it the power of law.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/22/obama-and-guantanamo-unde_n_159849.html

[Bragi]

8. Wouldn't want to jeopardize war funding, for sure

Think how tragic it would be if America's military machine ran out of the money borrowed from China to finance their war operations.

Yes, just think of that horrible consequence occurring just so the President could keep his promise to voters to shut down the facility where America's contempt for human rights and international law is on full display for the world to see.

Oh, the horror.

[Cutatious]

9. We need to also close Leavenworth and end military courts

There is no reason our military volunteers should be denied federal court trials and housing in standard prisons. To not give them this honor is the same as what is happening to the suspects in Gitmo.