Obama Vows to 'Do Everything I Can' to Close Guantanamo: CNN Interview

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Obama vows 'do everything I can' to close Guantanamo: CNN interview

Sun Dec 21, 2014 8:06am EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. president Barack Obama said in a TV interview set for broadcast on Sunday that he will do "everything I can" to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after four Afghan detainees held there were sent home.

Obama promised to shut the internationally condemned prison when he took office nearly six years ago, saying it was damaging America's image around the world. But he has been unable to do so, partly because of obstacles posed by the U.S. Congress.

"I'm going to be doing everything I can to close it," Obama said on CNN's "State of the Union with Candy Crowley," program in an interview taped on Friday.

"It is something that continues to inspire jihadists and extremists around the world, the fact that these folks are being held," he said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0JZ0FY20141221

[Renew Deal]

1. I said it yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5985084

Two things I am not surprised by are Cuba reconciliation and closing Gitmo. There is no way there are still prisoners there when Obama leaves office.

Republicans are so spiteful, the next republican president might find people to put into Gitmo.

[Reter]

7. Can Obama close it on his own?

If he needs congressional approval, he's not gonna get it. For the rest of his term, he will have a Republican majority.

[Renew Deal]

8. He has the right, but they have tried to cut off funds.

He will find a way. I don't think he's worried about it.

[msanthrope]

2. Given the legislation that Congresss has passed to block the close of GITMO, I know he walks a fine

line here.

[mahannah]

3. Terminate the Guantanamo Bay lease - give it back to Cuba.

[fredamae]

4. If there is something

within his power to close "gitmo" now....Then did he not have said "power" 6 years ago? Why did he wait 6 years to do it when when he had a way more "dem" congress 6 years ago?
Waiting until the GOP takes both houses seems futile to me...

[OnyxCollie]

5. Obama will do everything he can

once he finds his comfortable shoes.

[hughee99]

6. I would have preferred if he'd do everything he could to make sure the US doesn't hold prisoners

for more than a decade without even charging them with a crime. The closing of Gitmo doesn't mean very much to me if he just continues to hold those prisoners in a new location.

[SnakeEyes]

9. I'd hope so

Considering he ran on closing Gitmo back in 2008