‘Last-Ditch Gitmo Plan Falls Flat’

Lacking In Specifics, ‘The Plan Was A Nonstarter’

“Virtually no one is impressed with President Barack Obama’s latest plan to close Guantanamo Bay” (“Obama's Gitmo Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy,” Politico, 2/23/16)

• “The administration struggled on Tuesday to explain why it had ignored Congress’s demand for specifics . . .” (“Obama's Gitmo Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy,” Politico, 2/23/16)

“President Obama’s plan to shutter the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, ran into a buzz saw of opposition on Tuesday, underscoring how difficult it will be for him to fulfill a major campaign promise in his final year in office.” (“President’s Last-Ditch Gitmo Plan Falls Flat,” The Hill, 2/23/2016)

“In Congress, which acted quickly in Obama’s first year to bar him from moving Gitmo detainees onto U.S. soil and has continued to block his efforts, the plan was a nonstarter.” (“Obama's Gitmo Plan Leaves Everyone Unhappy,” Politico, 2/23/16)

• “Lawmakers from both parties have balked at Obama's calls to close the prison since he made a campaign promise to do so in 2008.” (“Obama's Guantanamo Closing Plan Rebuffed By Republicans,” Chicago Tribune, 2/23/2016)

• “Polls show the American people oppose closing Gitmo by about two to one, politicians in both parties oppose closing it, and the past seven years have taught that the camp plays an important role in keeping America safe.” (Editorial, “Guantanamo at Bay,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/24/2016)

‘Democrats, Too, Were Skeptical Of The Strategy’

“Democrats, too, were skeptical of the strategy . . . Senator Michael Bennet, Democrat of Colorado, swiftly issued a statement saying that none of the prisoners should be transferred to his state . . . He gave his warning before Mr. Obama began speaking, underscoring the harsh political realities the president faces.” (“Obama Sends Plan to Close Guantánamo to Congress,” The New York Times, 2/23/2016)

• SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO): “I’ve repeatedly said I do not support the transfer of prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay military facility to Colorado. I’ve voted to close the prison, but I believe military detainees should be held in military prisons. . . This plan has done nothing to change my mind. These detainees should not be transferred to Colorado.” (“Dem Senator Unswayed By Obama Gitmo Plan,” The Hill, 2/23/2016)

• SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): “[T]here are serious legal barriers and legitimate security concerns to be dealt with. … In general, I support the closure of Guantánamo, but the details matter.” (“President’s Last-Ditch Gitmo Plan Falls Flat,” The Hill, 2/23/2016)

• REP. BRAD ASHFORD (D-NE): “I oppose the President’s efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Our elected leaders’ greatest responsibility is ensuring the safety of our communities and our families. Guantanamo Bay houses dangerous terrorists who must be kept in isolation, away from our citizens. We must also make sure these enemy combatants do not return to the battlefield. This decision should not be made unilaterally.” (Rep. Ashford, Press Release, 2/23/2016)

Also Yesterday… ‘Former Guantanamo Detainee… Arrested In Spain’

“Former Guantanamo detainee among 4 arrested in Spain, Morocco for Islamic State ties” (“Former Guantanamo Detainee Among 4 Arrested In Spain, Morocco For Islamic State Ties,” The Associated Press, 2/23/2016)

• “Spanish and Moroccan police on Tuesday arrested four suspected members of a jihadi cell that sought to recruit fighters for the Islamic State group, including one described as a former Guantanamo detainee who once fought with militants in Afghanistan. . . One of those detained in Ceuta was the former Guantanamo detainee who was not named by Spanish authorities but described as ‘a leader who was trained in handling weapons, explosives and in military tactics.’” (“Former Guantanamo Detainee Among 4 Arrested In Spain, Morocco For Islamic State Ties,” The Associated Press, 2/23/2016)

Not An Isolated Incident

“The Director of National Intelligence says that of the 653 detainees transferred out of Gitmo through July 2015, 117 are confirmed to have re-engaged as terrorists and another 79 are suspected of re-engaging. Most of the remaining 91 are the worst of the worst, and 46 aren’t even recommended for transfer.” (Editorial, “Guantanamo at Bay,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/24/2016)