What Excuse Remains for Obama’s Failure to Close GITMO?

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The excuse-making on behalf of President Obama has always found its most extreme form when it came time to explain why he failed to fulfill his oft-stated 2008 election promise to close Guantanamo. As I’ve documented many times, even the promise itself was misleading, as it became quickly apparent that Obama — even in the absence of congressional obstruction — did not intend to “close GITMO” at all but rather to re-locate it, maintaining its defining injustice of indefinite detention.

But the events of the last three days have obliterated the last remaining excuse. In order to secure the release of American POW Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the Obama administration agreed to release from Guantanamo five detainees allegedly affiliated with the Taliban. But as even stalwart Obama defenders such as Jeffery Toobin admit, Obama “clearly broke the law” by releasing those detainees without providing Congress the 30-day notice required by the 2014 defense authorization statute (law professor Jonathan Turley similarly observed that Obama’s lawbreaking here was clear and virtually undebatable).

The sole excuse now offered by Democratic loyalists for this failure has been that Congress prevented him from closing the camp. But here, the Obama White House appears to be arguing that Congress lacks the authority to constrain the President’s power to release detainees when he wants. What other excuse is there for his clear violation of a law that requires 30-day notice to Congress before any detainees are released?

But once you take the position that Obama can override — i.e., ignore — Congressional restrictions on his power to release Guantanamo detainees, then what possible excuse is left for his failure to close the camp?

What Excuse Remains for Obama’s Failure to Close GITMO?

So why should Obama not be held accountable for his lie about closing Guantanamo Bay Prison?

 

[ClosedCaption]

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to cut from a war spending bill the $80 million requested by President Obama to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and to bar the transfer of detainees to the United States and its territories.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/us/politics/21detain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[Synthaholic]

/thread

 

[theDoctorisIn]

What exactly do you mean by "held accountable"?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to cut from a war spending bill the $80 million requested by President Obama to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and to bar the transfer of detainees to the United States and its territories.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/us/politics/21detain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Obama just unilaterally released 5 prisoners in Guantanamo. He doesn't need Congress.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

/thread

Yeah, that's only true if nobody actually read the column.

 

[The T]

With this "Hostage Swap" he just pulled? What do you think he's doing? He's trying to empty the place.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

What exactly do you mean by "held accountable"?

Possibly a poor choice of words. What I mean is where are his supporters at that should be holding his feet to the fire over this issue?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

What exactly do you mean by "held accountable"?

Possibly a poor choice of words. What I mean is where are his supporters at that should be holding his feet to the fire over this issue?

In other words, you're asking why other people aren't outraged as much as you think they should be?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

As usual republicans taking the fact Obama got a POW back for 5 government officials as a bad thing and thinks he should just do as he pleases...maybe next time to please the republican assholes we can let them know a war THEY STARTED that has gotten a soldier taken POW 30 days before hand and then he or she will die or be executed because they need to know before hand.

Are you implying that Glenn Greenwald is a Republican, or that I am? Neither I nor Greenwald have any issue with the trade made by Obama, merely the hypocrisy in claiming that he can't act on Gitmo without Congressional approval and then going ahead and unilaterally making this move.

 

[Papageorgio]

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to cut from a war spending bill the $80 million requested by President Obama to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and to bar the transfer of detainees to the United States and its territories.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/us/politics/21detain.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

So Democrats are against closing Gitmo?


Sent from my iPad using an Android.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

With this "Hostage Swap" he just pulled? What do you think he's doing? He's trying to empty the place.

That's just partisan nonsense.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

What exactly do you mean by "held accountable"?

Possibly a poor choice of words. What I mean is where are his supporters at that should be holding his feet to the fire over this issue?

In other words, you're asking why other people aren't outraged as much as you think they should be?

Yes, particularly his supporters who would like to see Gitmo closed.

 

[The T]

With this "Hostage Swap" he just pulled? What do you think he's doing? He's trying to empty the place.

That's just partisan nonsense.

Really?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

With this "Hostage Swap" he just pulled? What do you think he's doing? He's trying to empty the place.

That's just partisan nonsense.

Really?

Yes.

 

[Meister]

As usual republicans taking the fact Obama got a POW back for 5 government officials as a bad thing and thinks he should just do as he pleases...maybe next time to please the republican assholes we can let them know a war THEY STARTED that has gotten a soldier taken POW 30 days before hand and then he or she will die or be executed because they need to know before hand.

1 deserter for "5 government officials"? That's what you and your ilk are calling terrorists these days, government officials?

You truly are a blooming idiot, Blanch.

 

[The T]

That's just partisan nonsense.

Really?

Yes.

You underestimate Obama's intent and how he will close the place.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Really?

Yes.

You underestimate Obama's intent and how he will close the place.

I think you dislike Obama and that has made you fabricate some sinister intentions of his to close Guantanamo when he has shown absolutely no willingness to do so. He campaigned on it and then reneged. That's the real story.

 

[Sallow]

The excuse-making on behalf of President Obama has always found its most extreme form when it came time to explain why he failed to fulfill his oft-stated 2008 election promise to close Guantanamo. As I’ve documented many times, even the promise itself was misleading, as it became quickly apparent that Obama — even in the absence of congressional obstruction — did not intend to “close GITMO” at all but rather to re-locate it, maintaining its defining injustice of indefinite detention.

But the events of the last three days have obliterated the last remaining excuse. In order to secure the release of American POW Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the Obama administration agreed to release from Guantanamo five detainees allegedly affiliated with the Taliban. But as even stalwart Obama defenders such as Jeffery Toobin admit, Obama “clearly broke the law” by releasing those detainees without providing Congress the 30-day notice required by the 2014 defense authorization statute (law professor Jonathan Turley similarly observed that Obama’s lawbreaking here was clear and virtually undebatable).

The sole excuse now offered by Democratic loyalists for this failure has been that Congress prevented him from closing the camp. But here, the Obama White House appears to be arguing that Congress lacks the authority to constrain the President’s power to release detainees when he wants. What other excuse is there for his clear violation of a law that requires 30-day notice to Congress before any detainees are released?

But once you take the position that Obama can override — i.e., ignore — Congressional restrictions on his power to release Guantanamo detainees, then what possible excuse is left for his failure to close the camp?

What Excuse Remains for Obama’s Failure to Close GITMO?

So why should Obama not be held accountable for his lie about closing Guantanamo Bay Prison?

What lie?

 

[Sallow]

As usual republicans taking the fact Obama got a POW back for 5 government officials as a bad thing and thinks he should just do as he pleases...maybe next time to please the republican assholes we can let them know a war THEY STARTED that has gotten a soldier taken POW 30 days before hand and then he or she will die or be executed because they need to know before hand.

1 deserter for "5 government officials"? That's what you and your ilk are calling terrorists these days, government officials?

You truly are a blooming idiot, Blanch.

When were they charged with Terrorism?

Got a link?

Thanks in advance.