U.S. Struggles to Downsize Guantanamo

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The U.S. has cut the population of the Guantanamo Bay detention center to nearly half its peak in 2003 but is struggling to empty it further.

Faced with rising international pressure to close the military prison in Cuba, the U.S. has identified dozens of detainees who can be released or transferred to other countries. However, that was only the first step in a process so difficult it has slowed releases to a trickle.

Before it puts detainees on a plane, the U.S. must find a country to accept them. It also must obtain assurances the prisoners will be prevented from attacking the United States or its allies, and will not be tortured or face other treatment that violates international law.

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'The U.S. has created a mess and it's very hard to get out of this mess,'' said Jennifer Daskal, a Washington-based lawyer for Human Rights Watch, which believes there are at least 50 detainees who have expressed fears of being sent back to their home countries.

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