Obama: Gitmo Not Likely To Close In First 100 Days (VIDEO)

In an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week," President-elect Barack Obama said that he was committed to closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay but was not sure it would be possible to do so in his first hundred days.

"I don't want to be ambiguous about this. We are going to close Guantanamo and we are going to make sure that the procedures we set up are ones that abide by our Constitution," Obama said. "That is not only the right thing to do but it actually has to be part of our broader national security strategy because we will send a message to the world that we are serious about our values."

However, Obama explained, "it is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize." "Part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication. And some of the evidence against them may be tainted even though it's true. And so how to balance creating a process that adheres to rule of law, habeas corpus, basic principles of Anglo-American legal system, by doing it in a way that doesn't result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up."

Watch:

The full exchange:

STEPHANOPOULOS: You also agreed on Guantanamo when you say you want to shut it down. You say you're still going to shut it down. Is it turning out to be harder than you expected, will you get that done in the first 100 days?

OBAMA: It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize and we are going to get it done but part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom who may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication. And some of the evidence against them may be tainted even though it's true. And so how to balance creating a process that adheres to rule of law, habeas corpus, basic principles of Anglo American legal system, by doing it in a way that doesn't result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So not necessarily first 100 days.

OBAMA: That's a challenge. I think it's going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do. But I don't want to be ambiguous about this. We are going to close Guantanamo and we are going to make sure that the procedures we set up are ones that abide by our constitution. That is not only the right thing to do but it actually has to be part of our broader national security strategy because we will send a message to the world that we are serious about our values.

Comments

[thirtyninesteps]

It's really very simple. Guantanamo is an illegal gulag. It is a stain on America's name across the world. Universally. There is no country on earth that applauds Guantanamo.

For Obama to keep it open for one year, for two years (which is closer to what he's saying now), or more -- is a contradiction to everything he said he was FOR during his campaign. He criticizes the Bush administration over Guantanamo and then uses Bush's same excuses about keeping it open. Even Bush says he wants to close it -- sometime -- once they can place the detainees.­.. How is Obama's position any different?

We have tortured and violated human rights, violated international law, violated the Geneva conventions at Guantanamo. Shame on Obama for not shuttering the place immediately and moving the detainees to a legitimate military prison.

Until he does, he will not repair America's name in the world. And he is not doing his own name any good either. He pledged he would close Guantanamo -- the longer it takes him to follow through, the more small and typical a politician he reveals himself to be.

[Norge]

It requires at least that amount of time to think about it when it is part of their job and they are getting paid for it and also helps to grandious the whole situation.

[luvangelHussein330]

P.S. Gitmo and others have been around for how long? With no direction form Bushie and all of a sudden Obama is suppose to magicaly clean up Bushies mess in a time line of 100 days GTFOH!!! Obama said he will close it, give himn time to do it in a responsible way not rushed and thrown together which will be a greater detroment to our nation.

[SwissChocolate1]

No direction from Bush?

I could have sworn that the liberals said Bush was RUNNING the place....t­ee hee....

[luvangelHussein330]

I didn't expect that he would close gitmo in the first 100 days anyway... That whole situation is one big cluster F*** and will be a challenge to untangel with restoring the detainess legal rights, charging them, trials, investigations etc. Plus there would need to be some sort of agreement with other contryies as far as where these folks can go once released if theere isn't any reason to keep them. Of coruse the lefties and some progressives will setthier hair on fire and find another reason to complain and flood the change.gov web page with those complaints­... I swear some of us progressives are our own worst enemy

[junebuginFL]

you got that right, I was wondering how you werent part of that bunch until you disclosed in the last sentence. I dont think handing them to another country is safe, at least where they can escape.

[SwissChocolate1]

Didn't you hear what he said? He said that even though some of the intel may be incorrect, these people are STILL guilty. I guess he finally got around to reading the intel.....

[chocolatecity]

To all that say that Obama should close GITMO in his first 100 days. I only have one question. Where should all of the prisoners go? I believe in due process. But due process has never been known to move very quickly in this country. Does anyone here simply want America to open the doors to GITMO and release everyone? It will take some time to sort out.

[Kartoffel]

"It will take some time to sort out."

----------­----------­----------­---

This shutting Gitmo business kinda reminds me of his "all troops out of Iraq in 16 months" promise. He made it sound so simple during the campaign, then he gets in office and suddenly everything gets a whole lot more complicated.

[SwissChocolate1]

But this is exactly what the liberals have been shouting for. All because it was BUSH who opened Gitmo. Now that it will be Obama's baby, he will get a pass on it....

[kotexbarbie]

Hey, all you faith based Obamabots. He didn't run on change SOMEDAY!

[McChimp]

"Obamabots­..." take your complaints and send them to Fox Noise you bitter little t roll.

[TLaw]

Hmmm.... I wonder what state America would be in right now had her citizens shown this much impatience , irritation ,tension uncertainty and intolerance during Bush's tenure....

[SwissChocolate1]

I recall President Bush saying the war on t e r r o r would not be easy and would take a long time. Most liberals NEVER supported this, from day one.

All is fair in love and war.....

[Kartoffel]

What a crock. He's the Commander in Chief. He can shut Gitmo down any time he wants. Just say the word, and everybody packs up and leaves as quickly as humanly possible. But first he must have the cahones to actually issue the command. Looks like he doesn''t.

[kotexbarbie]

little o's not big O's.

[TLaw]

Hold on there horsey! He'll be Americas Commander in Chief on 20/01/09!

[luvangelHussein330]

It isn't as easy as just closing the camps...wh­ere are the detainees going to go? What about charging the ones who need to be charged?

[anachoret]

He'll get on it as soon as the people who tort - er - "tainted" their confessions out of them can set up a legal system that accepts those confessions, without wanting to "look back" at how those confessions were tainted, who tainted them or whether that taint was sanctioned by highest levels of the Government.

Until then, we'll just keep them in prison.

[SwissChocolate1]

anachoret, you are probably the type of person who also believes in the Easter Bunny....

[nextjen]

Damn, people. Just because Gitmo might not be closed in 100 days doesn't mean he's going to sit on it for the next four years. It just means that cleaning up that reeking cesspool of human-righ­ts-violati­ng and torture-loving is going to take longer than 100 days if we want to determine how best to bring these men to justice without violating our Constitution even more than his predecessor. Politically, he needs the dog-and-pony show making certain suspected terrorists get the same protections we all enjoy after so much time spent going the wrong direction. So of course it's a hot mess down there! When your previous administration leaves you with a mine field, you don't go charging forward - you think and plan so you don't get BLOWN UP and your body parts start flying 50 feet in the damn air.

I'd rather he do it right than do it fast. If Bush had taken that position, we'd be in way better shape as a nation.

[SwissChocolate1]

We'll see....

[thirtyninesteps]

From Obama's Sixty Minutes interview on November 17, 2008:

STEVE KROFT: There are a number of different things that you could do early pertaining to executive orders.

BARACK OBAMA: Right.

STEVE KROFT: One of them is to shut down Guantanamo Bay. ... Are those things that you plan to take early action on?

BARACK OBAMA: Yes.

---

I guess it all depends on what the meaning of "is" is.

[StellaRay]

No. It depends on what the meaning of "early action" is. Now? 100 days? 200 days? Who is to define early within the context of a four year term?

Thirtynine steps, you and I have been going back and forth on this thread. I have a bad case of insomnia tonight, so I'm going to keep trying to have a conversation with you.

When I read your quotes here from Sixty Minutes I understood even more how dissappointing it is to you that Obama's first act in office won't be to shut down Guantanamo Bay. I understand because I was very dissappointed by something Obama did too--- his choice of Rick Warren to read a prayer at his innaugaration, because I am frustrated beyond belief that this country gets away with denying Gays their civil rights. We all have our pet causes. All multi million of us.

My point was and is, we cannot expect Obama to execute each and every one of our agendas as we'd like right this instant. By all means, stick to your convictions, as I will stick to mine. Keep your voice out there, e-mail your reps, the media and anyone else who will listen.

But we need every active citizen to take an overview, to realize this man has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and a bit of patience on my part and yours is not tantamont to giving up what we believe in.

[kotexbarbie]

HUMAN RIGHTS IS NOT A PET CAUSE. NEITHER IS GAY RIGHTS. GO TO BED!

[BlueGirlRedState]

Well, we can hope, at least, that the torture will stop on Jan. 20th.

[Heavy]

Don't close it. Just empty it out to make room for republicans.

[scjk67]

BRAVO!!!!!

[kotexbarbie]

You mean lock up Obama's new friends?

[anachoret]

He'll get on it as soon as the people who tortured - er - "tainted" their confessions out of them can set up a legal system that accepts those confessions, without wanting to "look back" at how those confessions were tainted, who tainted them or whether that taint was sanctioned by highest levels of the Government.

Until then, we'll just keep holding them without due process.

[McChimp]

As usual, the progressives are getting all upset: Obama "snubbing" Dean, inviting Warren, now suddenly waffling on his promise to close GITMO. Just like the far right, the progressives complain too much. Obama isn't some magician who can make things happen just by waving a wand, he has a LOT to deal with. Didn't Obama say on election night that change wouldn't happen in one year or even in one term, that it takes time? Obama never said that closing GITMO would be easy, and Obama admitting he won't close it in his first 100 days in office is right in line with what he said.

Some of you need to chill out with the knee jerk reactions, you are acting just like the bitter republicans who lost the election. Give Obama a chance to prove himself, it's barely nine days away from the man taking office, yet you are acting like Obama has been president for eight years instead of Bush. Read Obama's book Audacity of Hope if you have any doubts that Obama knows what he is doing, he is a very smart man.

[scjk67]

right on! i pointed this out earlier too, but life of me still peolpe are whining about nothings. Obama is going to be HOLY SH^T'n when sits in the Oval Office on the 21st seeing all the crap Bush left for him!

[luvangelHussein330]

Amen!! Amen!! I'm so over lefties and some of my progressive peers colectively setting thier hair on fire over one issue or another for hearing what they wanted. As you mentioned Obama never said he would close Gitmo in the first 100. He did say for sure that it would be closed he would have been crazy to give it that time frame given the cluster f*** of issues he is going to have to deal with in closing it. i think one thing none of the comapling hair ablaze lefties miss is where are these folks going to go once Obama closes the camps when thier own country and others will not except them....?

[luutzu]

why the 100 days deadline? Are you people for real?
Obama's intention is to restore American values - freedom and rules of law and whatnot... - AND, and not risking American national security while doing it. That's what he said, it's quite reasonable and in line with his sensibility and thoughtful­ness...

You can't just finish things thoughtfully within some media-friendly deadline of 100 days or 300 days...

[Sweetbay]

Exactly.