U.S. shuts once-secret Guantanamo prison unit; moves prisoners

The US needs to clean up Guantanamo and then return the property to Cuba.

“and the prisoners moved to another facility on the American base”

well THAT was a misleading headline.

All the detention centers at a Gitmo need to be closed. They are a stain on the US and our claim to value human rights.

The US needs to clean up Guantanamo and then return the property to Cuba.

Agree with both of you.

They’re not going to close them down, never. The US needs an off site where we can always interrogate and use coheres methods to obtain vital information from terrorists.

The US needs an off site where we can always interrogate and use coheres methods to obtain vital information from terrorists

Given domestic terrorists are the greatest threat to the US, the US needs to have 'infrastructure' of all sorts within the country to deal with them. No more foreign wars.

Didn't Obama say he would close these down in 2008?

On Jan. 22, 2009, Obama issued an executive order calling for the closure of the prison facility at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba within one year.

I'm confused as to how they can possibly still be open?

Anyone so bad that they cannot be released should be handed over to other countries - perhaps Egypt who can show proper respect for their Muslim faith. No way would I want them allowed on US soil.

They’re not going to close them down, never. The US needs an off site where we can always interrogate and use coheres methods to obtain vital information from terrorists.

Torture isn't just barbaric, it doesn't work.

talking about kicking the can down the road....

https://www.npr.org/2017/01/19/510448989/trump-inherits-guantanamos-remaining-detainees

"Trump Inherits Guantanamo's Remaining Detainees"

The issue was the Congress would not allow these prisoners to be transferred to US soil. And the Obama State Department was unable to negotiate for their countries of origin to take them back. Guess there werent enough pallets of cash left or they werent sure who to send the money to.

Given domestic terrorists are the greatest threat to the US,

No, the only threat they pose is to the US government is if you strip them of their 1st and 2nd amendment rights other than that the serious threat of radical Islam still remains the ultimate threat to the US sovereignty.

This only works in the movies

it worked and Khalid shake Mohammed, he admitted that as well.

Republicans blocked Obama from closing them down

A few that’s true.

US military bases are considered US soil

A bit more convoluted. It is, but at the same time if Guantánamo or on US soil or on the mainland it would be subjected to all the laws regarding prisoners of war and we’re not talking about prisoners of war we’re talking about terrorists and off the mainland the rules of engagement are different, the US has a lot more latitude and means to use techniques together information which they couldn’t use on the mainland. I don’t know every technique, but I don’t think on terrorists we need to know whereas a prisoner of war we should know.

2016: In his final State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday , President Obama renewed his call to close the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, one of the promises he made repeatedly during his first presidential campaign in 2008.

“I will keep working to shut down the prison at Guantanamo: it’s expensive, it’s unnecessary, and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our enemies,” Obama said during the address.

So is he still working on this?

The base will never be closed and they the Dems know it won’t. There’s no way the Pentagon wants to bring terrorists on US mainland soil and treat them like enemy combatants, they’re terrorists for Crying out loud.

Cant President Biden sign an Executive Order and just close it and bring the prisoners to the USA?

he signs executive orders for everything else, why not this? He can fulfill the broken promises of his best buddy Barack in doing so. win/win?

So is he still working on this?

You might not know this, but Barack Obama is no longer President, and hasn't been since January 20, 2017.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/23/how-barack-obama-simply-waited-too-long-to-close-guantanamo/

Most constitutional scholars would agree the ability to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has always rested solely in President Obama's hands. As the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military, Obama simply doesn't need Congress's approval to shut down the military prison.

Obama's self-imposed January 2010 deadline to close Guantanamo came and went. Closing the facility, he told reporters in November 2009, is "also just technically hard." Next year it would shutter, he predicted.

You might not know this, but Barack Obama is no longer President, and hasn't been since January 20, 2017.

so he lied when he was leaving office and stated in his last speech that "I will KEEP working to shut down....."? Just trying to deflect from his failure and broken promises.

Biden can just shut it down, why doesnt he?

so he lied when he was leaving office and stated in his last speech that "I will KEEP working to shut down....."? Just trying to deflect from his failure and broken promises.

This speech was given on January 12, 2016, when he had just more than a year left in office. He was saying that he would use his last year in office to try and close Guantanamo Bay, and was clearly unsuccessful.

If you had checked the date, rather than just reposted without checking whatever crumbs you can get from esoteric conspiracy websites, you could have probably worked this out for yourself.

It shames America to hold people without trials

For the enemy on the field combatants, yes, terrorists, No.

bass4funk: radical Islam still remains the ultimate threat to the US sovereignty.

Radical Islam could potentially eliminate our status as a sovereign nation? Sure, I mean I guess so, in a kind of "let's imagine unreal scenarios" kind of way. Anything's possible, like your airplane crashing.

I think the FBI is more concerned with the everyday security of Americans so they put radical Right groups on the top of the list, especially with all of the murders and bombings and plans to overthrow parts of the government and such. Or maybe when I listened to the head of the FBI speak I was just falling for a liberal media narrative.

I not only checked the date, I posted the year. 2016. final state of the union address. not a conspiracy at all, but the public transcript of his speech. but nice deflection try.

*2016**: In his final State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday , President Obama renewed his call to close the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, one of the promises he made repeatedly during his first presidential campaign in 2008.*

“I will keep working to shut down the prison at Guantanamo: it’s expensive, it’s unnecessary, and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our enemies,” Obama said during the address

so why is Guantanamo still open? the failure of Barack Obama in 8 whole years to close it despite incessantly promising to do so, plus the unwillingness of Joseph Biden to demand it by executive order and just do it without having Congress to blame.

Blacklabel So is he still working on this?

Is this another one of those, "I want to hear you criticize Democrats for not pulling through on a plan that I didn't support while I ignore my own position" kind of things?

Honestly, with you debating yourself so often, is there any need for a response from the other side?

I would like Guantanamo closed as well.

Who is to blame for it being open still? Cannot President Biden just shut it down by Executive Order as his Democrat predecessor did? but actually follow through and do it this time? is this out of his ability to get done?

Is this another one of those, "I want to hear you criticize Democrats for not pulling through on a plan that I didn't support while I ignore my own position" kind of things?

I not only checked the date, I posted the year. 2016. final state of the union address. not a conspiracy at all, but the public transcript of his speech. but nice deflection try.

You said that the speech was made "was leaving office". He had a year to go. You were wrong. Again.

Black: I would like Guantanamo closed as well.

Me as well. I was on the fence about it when it was created. We don't want to be a country that holds people without charges, but then again our court system would struggle to handle cases like this. But....we are now coming up on indefinite suspension after all of these years, so now I favor closing it.

Radical Islam could potentially eliminate our status as a sovereign nation?

You forgot about 9/11, Boston attacks etc.

Sure, I mean I guess so, in a kind of "let's imagine unreal scenarios" kind of way.

Typical capitulation, nothing new from the left, let’s just pretend there is no elephant in the tiny room

I think the FBI is more concerned with the everyday security of Americans so they put radical Right groups on the top of the list,

The FBI with its beyond stained and tarnished reputation, uh-huh...

good to hear some actual comments outside of the “protect Obama/set low expectations for Biden” crowd.

it can be closed and should be. Even more so by the people who promised to do it and who scored all the political points criticizing its existence in the first place. They are the ones to get it done.

Wrong. If they have the evidence to hold them, they also have the evidence to present to a court.

Not for terrorists on the battlefield

"Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia recently wrote that “freedom from indefinite imprisonment at the will of the Executive” represents the “very core of liberty.” On this issue, Justice Scalia is exactly right. Indefinite detention without charge or trial violates the essence of American due process and the rule of law."

Interesting now liberals are quoting the honorable Scalia when it suits them otherwise he was a heartless and cruel justice, give me a break! Scalia never believed that for terrorists in that context, he always believed In the safety in the sovereignty of the United States and as such we must protect the homeland against all forms of radical terrorism, however, he was more specific on enemy combatants in the field and how they should be treated if they are brought to justice, big difference

A more knowledgeable person than your personal opinion.

.....or yours.

Bass and Black both have this issue.

No issues other than not buying the Biden and Democrats argument that they will be closing Guantánamo Bay permanently.

It’s almost as if they are incapable of engaging in discourse with adults.

Say the people that absolutely refuse all opposing conservative viewpoints....

But if they were denied while on the battlefield then they are in fact prisoners-of-war and protected under Genieve Conventions.

I disagree, they are not criminals, they are terrorists and I absolutely don’t think they should be afforded the same rights as a criminal would if so, then you’re allowed to give them food and ate and give them their Miranda rights

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9DuHQhGpg4IEADDhx.9w4;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzEwBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1617622352/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.intelligencesquaredus.org%2fdebates%2ftreat-terrorists-enemy-combatants-not-criminals/RK=2/RS=oj2Ye3q_VmveaovzuGSSwyznFz0-

So when is the US going to put these jerks on trial?

The remaining 55 prisoners could be moved to the mainland and tried in a court. Just like other terrorists have been.

Going to be a wasted mess and more US tax payer money spent

Makes perfect sense to me.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-guantanamo-bay-likely-wont-ever-shut-down-140562

I disagree, they are not criminals, they are terrorists 

"Terrorists aren't criminals" is an odd take, but when your friends try to overthrow the US government in order to try and install the loser of an election as a fascist dictator, I can see why you might want that definition.

good to hear some actual comments outside of the “protect Obama/set low expectations for Biden” crowd.

Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay. It's a huge black mark on his Presidency. I'm not defending him, I'm pointing out where you're wrong. I do this to help you: you will be able to argue better and get your points across more forcefully if you read and understand the things you copy and paste. That way, you won't embarrass yourself by, say, forcefully insisting on Qanon conspiracies that the Supreme Court and military will invalidate the results of a free and fair election.

Biden, as far as I know, didn't make closing Guantanamo Bay a big part of his election campaign. As such, I don't think he will make closing it a legislative priority, sadly.

it can be closed and should be.

I agree.

There are 40 prisoners at Guantanamo.

How can you be a prisoner if you didn’t have a trial with fair legal representation? Kidnapped maybe a better word.

I’m in favor of not putting any more potential terrorists in there, but I am also nervous about letting any of the really bad ones free, especially those with an axe to grind.

"Terrorists aren't criminals" is an odd take, but when your friends try to overthrow the US government

Then you can make that same claim about the rioters and as well as Antifa and BLM that caused millions in damage last year, so they’re all terrorists by that definition.

https://www.fbi.gov/cve508/teen-website/what-are-known-violent-extremist-groups

bass4funkToday 10:19 am JST

They’re not going to close them down, never. The US needs an off site where we can always interrogate and use coheres methods to obtain vital information from terrorist

I am confused, who decide who are the terrorists and who needs to be tortured ?

Why if for some reason your government decides to send you there ?

I am confused, who decide who are the terrorists

Check the FBI link.

and who needs to be tortured ? 

No one should be tortured

Why if for some reason your government decides to send you there ?

Terrorists on the battlefield with no flag or country or nation and form a collective in order to tear down and usurp a sovereign government.

Terrorists on the battlefield with no flag or country or nation and form a collective in order to tear down and usurp a sovereign government.

Oh, like the Trump supporters on January 6th. Got it.