Obama Not Ruling Out Releasing Gitmo Detainees In U.S.

WASHINGTON — A White House spokesman says the Obama administration hasn't decided whether or not to release Guantanamo Bay detainees in the United States.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama has made clear "we're not going to make any decision about transfer or release that threatens the security of this country."

Asked if that meant he was ruling out releasing any detainees in the United States, Gibbs said: "I'm not ruling it in or ruling it out."

A tentative plan to release some Guantanamo detainees in the United States drew fierce opposition from Republicans and many Democrats in Congress, forcing the Obama administration to shelve the plan to bring some Chinese Muslims known as Uighurs to Virginia. The Uighur detainees at Guantanamo were found not to be enemy combatants by the Pentagon, but few nations have been willing to accept them, out of fear of angering China.

This past week, four of the 17 Uighurs being held at Guantanamo were sent to Bermuda, and the Pacific islands nation of Palau said it would accept others.

Gibbs told reporters progress has been made this week in the administration's goal of closing the detention center in Cuba by early next year.

Seven detainees have been shipped out of Guantanamo so far this week.

Comments

[dhv]

Looks like the flickr address from the previous post is incomplete as a link and needs to be cut and pasted into the browser address bar...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39498859@N07/3631802078/

[dhv]

Here's an image that may explain the resistance to bringing detainees to the U.S.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39498859@N07/3631802078/

[TopDog]

WTF?

[Bystander]

If Obama flip-flops and releases detainees in the US, they should be released in a sanctuary city, like San Francisco. The silly code pink harpies will welcome them as heros.

[tman418]

First of all, he's NOT ruling it out.

Second, we blue districts will take them because we are not wussies and making a huge fuss like Red-districts are.

[1dogs2]

I'm sick of right-wing fear-mongering and the cowardice of our craven Congress. This is supposed to be "the home of the BRAVE." Guess not.

[Atcha]

Translation: they can't rule it out because it makes it harder to convince other Western countries to take charge of the prisoners, but they won't let them in either

[grf67]

Does the rule of law have any meaning in the US? Are these folks guilty of anything other than being turned in for money? The last administration broke more laws and is responsible for more American deaths than many of the detainees.

[mergina]

When I read stuff like this i think he is really not serious about a 2nd term.

[HarrisonPrice]

He might not be ruling it out but the voters and Congress already have made that choice for him.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

The Press Secretary seems to answer this question daily. The administration is not ruling it out and is not ruling it in. They are waiting to see what the assessments are on a case-by-case basis. And will not guess to appease the press.

Shoddy reporting.

[Gatormouth]

The Uighur prisoners - what exactly are they accused of, being in the wrong place at the wrong time or something specific? I know the Chinese government doesn't care for them, troublesome ethnic minorities in China like Uighur or Tibetan people are often treated harshly because of their independent aspirations. But what have these prisoners actually done? What are they accused of? If nothing, really, why not let the Uighur communities on the East coast of the U.S. that have offered to sponsor them take them in? This would be a lot cheaper and more humane then caving to posturing conservatives who have no real reason other than innate meanness to objecting to letting these people who have been abused by U.S. policies to return safely to their own people.

[S1m0n]

It's shameful that this is even a matter for debate. The United States has wronged these men, and making amends for this wrong is America's debt to pay.

[WYHKTai-Tai]

"The Uighur detainees at Guantanamo were found not to be enemy combatants by the Pentagon, but few nations have been willing to accept them, out of fear of angering China."

You do realize, no? that the detainees in question are Chinese Uighurs, Muslim villagers from the far west of China, whose 'crime' was practicing their religion, any religion in China.
If we are to convince any other nation to accept any of the other detainees, We should at least accept these. I'm sure we won't, as it would 'Anger China'.
The safety of the country is not in question here. If it was they would not be up for release at all.

[Savanna]

I am so confused by the news I read. One day it says one thing and another day the exact opposite.
The media needs to get a health check for seeing and hearing and recording.

[Vinca]

I thought Obama wasn't going to bring them here. THAT IS CRAZY, TO BRING THEM HERE AND RELEASE THEM. WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF CRAZIES RIGHT HERE AT HOME. ALSO WE HAVE SLEEPER CELLS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. KEEP THEM AT GITMO.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Be afraid, be very afraid.

[nomobull]

that's because a lot of opinion is passed off as fact news. i have learned to wait to wait to hear the truth;especially if its a story about Obama. And yet they wonder why he takes it to the people via townhalls.

[LemonMeringue]

Bush and Cheney never should have kicked open that hornet's nest.