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Obama Calls for Gitmo Inmates to Be Transfered to the United States
Weekly Standard ^

Posted on 05/23/2013 1:14:32 PM PDT by Sub-Driver

Obama Calls for Gitmo Inmates to Be Transfered to the United States Daniel Halper May 23, 2013 2:01 PM

In a speech today, President Obama is calling for the transfer for Gitmo inmates to the United States.

"The original premise for opening GTMO – that detainees would not be able to challenge their detention – was found unconstitutional five years ago. In the meantime, GTMO has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law. Our allies won’t cooperate with us if they think a terrorist will end up at GTMO. During a time of budget cuts, we spend $150 million each year to imprison 166 people –almost $1 million per prisoner. And the Department of Defense estimates that we must spend another $200 million to keep GTMO open at a time when we are cutting investments in education and research here at home," Obama will say.

As President, I have tried to close GTMO. I transferred 67 detainees to other countries before Congress imposed restrictions to effectively prevent us from either transferring detainees to other countries, or imprisoning them in the United States. These restrictions make no sense. After all, under President Bush, some 530 detainees were transferred from GTMO with Congress’s support. When I ran for President the first time, John McCain supported closing GTMO. No person has ever escaped from one of our super-max or military prisons in the United States. Our courts have convicted hundreds of people for terrorism-related offenses, including some who are more dangerous than most GTMO detainees. Given my Administration’s relentless pursuit of al Qaeda’s leadership, there is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that should never have been opened.

Today, I once again call on Congress to lift the restrictions on detainee transfers from GTMO. I have asked the Department of Defense to designate a site in the United States where we can hold military commissions. I am appointing a new, senior envoy at the State Department and Defense Department whose sole responsibility will be to achieve the transfer of detainees to third countries. I am lifting the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen, so we can review them on a case by case basis. To the greatest extent possible, we will transfer detainees who have been cleared to go to other countries. Where appropriate, we will bring terrorists to justice in our courts and military justice system. And we will insist that judicial review be available for every detainee.

Even after we take these steps, one issue will remain: how to deal with those GTMO detainees who we know have participated in dangerous plots or attacks, but who cannot be prosecuted – for example because the evidence against them has been compromised or is inadmissible in a court of law. But once we commit to a process of closing GTMO, I am confident that this legacy problem can be resolved, consistent with our commitment to the rule of law.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: gitmo; obamahatesme; obamahatesyou
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To: Sub-Driver

Barry says "It's Change The Subject Time again."


21 posted on 05/23/2013 1:28:13 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Obama-Ville - Land of The Freebies, Home of the Enslaved)
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To: Sub-Driver
"...In the meantime, GTMO has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law. "

That sounds like the comment of some leader of a third-world crap-hole, not the President of the USA.

22 posted on 05/23/2013 1:29:08 PM PDT by Mr. K (There are lies, damned lies, statistics, and democrat talking points.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Oh look! Lots and lots of new shiny objects for us to chase. Hurry!


23 posted on 05/23/2013 1:31:15 PM PDT by upchuck (To the faceless, jack-booted government bureaucrat who just scanned this post: SCREW YOU!)
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To: Sub-Driver
During a time of budget cuts, we spend $150 million each year to imprison 166 people –almost $1 million per prisoner.

Whats the problem with GTMO? That's cheaper than KMART.

24 posted on 05/23/2013 1:31:56 PM PDT by BerryDingle (I know how to deal with communists, I still wear their scars on my back from Hollywood-Ronald Reagan)
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To: Sub-Driver

Wherever these GITMO people go, that area will be a high risk for terrorism.


25 posted on 05/23/2013 1:32:40 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Funny thing happened on the way to the Constitution burning, Lefties rights were violated...)
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To: Mr. K

26 posted on 05/23/2013 1:34:54 PM PDT by matt04
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To: Sub-Driver

I guess the rumor of Gitmo going to the prison in Chicago was true!


27 posted on 05/23/2013 1:36:31 PM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
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To: Sub-Driver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDzhvMveCRw


28 posted on 05/23/2013 1:36:56 PM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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To: Sub-Driver
He needs the space to detain TEA Partiers, NRA members and other right-wing suspects.

29 posted on 05/23/2013 1:37:26 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Oh yeah. Do you think Congress is going to support this lame duck, scandal-ridden President? No way is it going to happen. The only thing Obama has control over is to release them to other countries. He us already doing that.


30 posted on 05/23/2013 1:38:22 PM PDT by kabar
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To: Mr. K

Obama is the one flouting the rule of law. He is not enforcing our immigration laws and he instituted a backdoor amnesty for 1.8 million Dreamers. He has failed to give Congress information on Fast and Furious, Benghazi, and the IRS.


31 posted on 05/23/2013 1:41:07 PM PDT by kabar
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
"I guess the Illinois prison-industrial complex just got their Christmas present."

Perhaps the first ever example of muslim pork.

32 posted on 05/23/2013 1:41:08 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: Sub-Driver


33 posted on 05/23/2013 1:45:20 PM PDT by JoeProBono (Mille vocibus imago valet;-{)
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To: Sub-Driver
This is for the benefit of Covington & Burling - the same reason Corzine has never had to worry about criminal charges. Holder and Obama base everything on their ability to cash in.
34 posted on 05/23/2013 1:45:27 PM PDT by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
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To: Sub-Driver
A Gitmo release program I will support:


35 posted on 05/23/2013 1:52:28 PM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: Sub-Driver

I call for Obama and his minions to be transferred to Gitmo.


36 posted on 05/23/2013 1:59:32 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: Sub-Driver

Now watch muslim terrorism increase inside the US in an attempt to have these monsters released.


37 posted on 05/23/2013 2:00:03 PM PDT by 353FMG ( I do not say whether I am serious or sarcastic -- I respect FReepers too much.)
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To: SoFloFreeper

I never understood the point of Gitmo in the first place: it’d be like impounding tomcats for fighting on the back fence.

Drop ‘em off over the Atlantic whenever you catch one.


38 posted on 05/23/2013 2:03:25 PM PDT by txhurl
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To: 353FMG

Their release was one of the things the Boston jihadis wanted.


39 posted on 05/23/2013 2:04:15 PM PDT by livius
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To: txhurl
I never understood the point of Gitmo in the first place

It's an issue dear to the far, far left...so far left that it's hard to even have a clue where they're coming from:

1) They've always objected to our presence in communist Cuba.

2) They think that if you are nice to the jihadis and "educate" them they lose their hostility.

3) They object to the US military in general so want it all to be handled in the civilian arena.

That's about it. Sounds ridiculous and even they are beginning to see how ridiculous it sounds. The only reason Obama is pushing it today is he's making a weak attempt to rally the troops who have nothing to hold onto amidst the scandals.

40 posted on 05/23/2013 2:15:43 PM PDT by what's up
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