Its clear that Bush was making a statement to fend off the ACLU/anti-war types, AKA. surrender monkeys. Mullen’s remarks are not what we need from America’s head military man. Fred made that abundantly clear in the Fox sit down debate last week, when it criticized Huckabee's policy for closing GITMO.
Bush is concerned about international opinion. There is no denying that it affects our image abroad. I believe we should keep it open, but the administration, including the JCS, must play the game of saying we would love to close it, but there are legal problems that impact on national security. It’s politics, nothing more. The article is meant to sensationalize what has been our policy for years. Mullen is not speaking out of school nor is he stating anything that is not our position. The intent of the author, Burns of the NYT, seems to have worked given many of the posters who buy this nonsense and tear into Mullen.