Obama: Prolonged Detentions Could Happen, But It "Gives Me Huge Pause"

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's open to the idea of detaining some Guantanamo Bay terror suspects somewhere else for prolonged periods, but it may turn out that he won't be comfortable with any proposals to do that.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Obama said the idea of indefinite detentions as part of his legacy as president "gives me huge pause."

But the president says there are some detainees who don't fall neatly into existing categories for criminal prosecution in the United States or under international law.

Obama says that dealing with these situations is going to be "one of the biggest challenges" of his administration. The president says he's not comfortable imposing indefinite detentions by executive order. But he didn't explicitly rule it out.

Comments

[tatianalensky]

ok. There are a lot of things about Obama that I dont like atm - and thats putting it mildly. This "indefinite detention" thing, the dont ask, dont tell thing that is still law, the white washing of the C1A, reluctance on revealing t0rture memos etc.

BUT really, (and I know its been said before but I will say it again because maybe we dont realize the scope of the mess we ve been left with) lets do give him a chance. Seriously, its not only undoing 8 years of covert and often overt abuse of executive power, it goes a lot further back.

He has the most potential of any president I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Hes smart. But I think he pretty much has the biggest clean up job ever.

And if we do not agree with what he is doing - that go out and say it. Which you all are.

And if you say it often enough - things will change. This isnt a "clicking your heels together" job and puff - all goes away.

yeah, rock on.

[CostaDelBarto]

I think that's exactly right.

Here we have a situation where one President has to try and create fair legal precedents in order to deal with the mess created by are actually criminal acts. Criminal acts committed by the former US President and his staff. In other words Obama has to try and make legal channels for dealing with what are, in fact, totally illegal detentions.

The problems in resolving that legal disaster were created by Bush and Obama might not have much room for movement when it comes to how this gets resolved.

If anything I think Obama made only one mistake here and that was he'd spoken out on principles he truly believed in and created a hope that there was an ideal solution in which justice might be easily served and remain consistent with US notions of a fair trial.

When confronted with the scope of Bush's crimes and the extent of the legal complications he's had to rethink his position. The torture issue makes confessions legally useless, even if the person was guilty. There are so many laws broken in the detention of these people that no legal system on earth can actually find any other result than not guilty through reasonable doubt.

It was not Obama who created such legal problems but Bush's cohorts. It's just a sad and tragic mess no matter who deals with it. Doing the right thing when there's only wrong options is not really possible.

[tatianalensky]

exactly right. You shed much needed insight into this quagmire of deep dark mud.

I dont think anyone realizes the true extent.

well said. thank you.

[walk0nwalls]

Oh, it gives him pause everybody. That makes ALL the difference.

[Pema]

human rights isnt obamas strongest suit. frustrating, let detainees go, let gays marry.
nuff said.

[BillZBubb]

Wow, big change from Bush and the Republicans! The Republicans didn't have any doubts they just did it. Obama has doubts, but he'll do it. Change we can believe in. LOL.

[Gretel1or2]

How do you know that he'll do it? You have a crystal ball?

Not to mention the fact that you are criticizing him for doing the very thing that YOU are now doing - which is judging someone based on what you think they might do, but which they haven't done.

[newyorkid]

"Gives Me Huge Pause".

Well, the you know want to do to avoid "huge pause".

We are tired of bring lied about the rule of law.

[julianne]

With Obama it's always "me" or "mine" or "I". Seldom "we" or "us". Millions of citizens are losing their jobs and health while Obama pontificates about volunteerism along with his latest rationale about why he totally misrepresented himself to the electorate. What a catastrophe.

[CostaDelBarto]

The guy was a community organiser. Hello?

What have you done for your community in the last six months?

[lost souls rembrd]

NO NO NO

Take that 'huge pause' and your out 2nd term. Who are you now, Sir?

[Gretel1or2]

Who do you propose would be a better replacement?

[Palemoon]

George W. Bush Part Deux!

Turns out the only change I got is that which jingles in my pocket.

[Gretel1or2]

Right, you are able to summarize an entire presidency after 6 months. I'm sorry but I thought a term was 4 years. Have any better ideas as to who might be a better replacement in terms of getting all those things accomplished right now?

[naschkatze]

Obama is setting the course for his entire term right now, and it doesn't look good. One thing I don't recommend is sitting back and remaining silent on the "hope" he will start sending different signals one day. I am deeply concerned about war crimes going unpunished and civil liberties not being restored. If the millions of us sit back and wait patiently, he will just say that no one is agitating for these things. As Dylan Thomas wrote, "Rage, rage against the light".

[politicscorner]

Obama, if you do this, you better be damned sure that there is just cause and that those detained (and their legal representatives) know what they are accused of, have the ability to face their accusors, and can see the evidence against them ... and that means due process.

[Jalepeno]

I think we have room in Chicago and San Francisco for these folks. Any left overs can be sent to LAs Vegas.

[AirForce Vet]

Many times I have said that we should have an open mind when listening. I still ascribe to that, but there are times when after listening one should slam the door on stupidity. Every thing that’s said is not true and everything true is not said. Opening oneself up to a continued push for indefinite confinement is ludicrous and against the law. Continuing down this path makes us no different from those individuals from the last 8 years of horror. It really makes us worse, since we know it is wrong and unlawful. If we are headed down this path, I ask, where is the change.

[LeeCalif]

I think he wisely, may not have ruled it out . simply to allay wingnut criticism.

[Torsin]

Obama please don't sacrifice our nation's integrity for political expediency. We had enough of that for the past 8 years.

[elvez1975]

"Gee, I really feel awful about detaining people indefinitely. I know this is the kind of thing that George Bush did that I said I would do differently, but I feel terrible about it, trust me. It's not that I don't understand the Constitution, I just think that now that I'm president, I like the idea of being able to do whatever I want."

Ugh. Utter disappointment. He taught law students, for godsakes!!!!

[MrsFonebone]

@Elvez1975 -- Well said! Perfect.

[Rule Of Law]

"I feel your pain," sound at all familiar? Right before cutting hot lunches to poverty level school kids. Red or Blue--it just doesn't matter any more.

[yankees]

Once again with the Deep Concerns, (Pause) and no action. Make a decision or does he have to get with his Media and PR departments. I got a better idea - ask Hillary!

[Gretel1or2]

Instead of appreciating the fact that we have a president who thinks things through and carefully weighs them before jumping carelessly into action, you are here mocking and deriding his so-called "pauses. " I guess it's true that people ridicule what they do not understand.

[beatbox32]

There's a difference between thinking things through and being paralyzed by inaction. If you have some promises to fulfill, then stand by your principles and fulfill them. As it turns out, we just have a President who said anything to get elected.

[beatbox32]

We elected a man of real action....­. hah.

[Gretel1or2]

Thoughts always precede action - they have to, because if it's ever the other way around, I'll be truly frightened.

[underthegun1]

I'll take a huge pause right before I vote independent next time around

[lost souls rembrd]

and I as well. Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks the truth and has consistently and yet we didn't get him elected. I voted for Obama and I am really sick in my spirit over 'trusting' one more politican. Gad

[larrys3255]

If they cannot be prosecuted because of statements made under torture or lack of evidence, then they must be released - to anywhere they want to go. After all they have already been illegally held in prisons for 5-7 years without any charges and most have suffered torture. They should be released immediately or else our country becomes even more unlawful and immoral then we are now. What will it take to have President Obama realize this? He was my hero but now he is morphing into George Bush.

[Gretel1or2]

For the people here who jump on the "Obama=Bush" bandwagon, it is precisely this lazy type of simplistic thinking that allowed you to be silent over the last eight years. And this is the type of thinking that the media encourages through their sensationalistic misleading headlines. First they said he had aready drafted an executive order, now it's something different.

This headline is taking Obama's words out of context AS USUAL. Obama did not say that he was "open" to prolonged detention - in fact rather he is very much oposed to it, and is in the process of thinking about the ramifications of doing so. This approach is UNLIKE Bush who had no objections, and basically carried this out without flinching. Obama said "this is going to be one of the biggest challenges faced by his administration" meaning this is not something that he takes lightly. Balancing the fine line of releasing potential terror suspects who may in fact jeopardize people's lives, with unfairly holding people in detention is NO simple task.

[SantaFeConservative]

So now that Obama is privy to the facts, he will do just as Bush did. Pure vindication for Bush on this matter.

[Gretel1or2]

There seems to be a need on the part of people like you and the media to vindicate Bush. And what better way to do it than to imply that Obama is doing exactly the same things as Bush and in exactly the same way.