Obama: Gitmo Likely Wont Close in First 100 Days, by Mary Bruce, ABC News
** President-elect Barack Obama said this weekend that he does not expect to close Guantanamo Bay in his first 100 days in office. *** “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,” Obama said in an exclusive “This Week” interview with George Stephanopoulos, his first since arriving in Washington. **
** “It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize,” the president-elect explained. “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.” **
Well…no shot Shirlock!
Has it occurred to anyone on the Obama team that this was more difficult than people realize for the Bush administration as well? Has anyone bothered to consider that legal experts were consulted when the decision was made to establish a prison at Guantanamo? Does anyone even remember the extremely serious mood of the country when all of this began? Apparently not:
** Obama said that he is not ruling out prosecution for crimes committed by the Bush administration and left open the possibility of appointing a special prosecutor or commission to independently investigate abuses of power and illegal activity. **
While speaking to George Stephanopolous Obama did provide cover for himself and those at the CIA who now must serve his administration by providing intel and advice:
** “We’re still evaluating how we’re going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions, and so forth. And obviously we’re going to look at past practices. And I don’t believe that anybody is above the law. On the other hand, I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. And part of my job is to make sure that for example at the CIA, you’ve got extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don’t want them to suddenly feel like they’ve got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering up. **
Its been toootally OK with Bush bashers that our current president spent time “looking over his shoulder” and wondering if he needs to be lawyering up during the time he has spent serving our nation…will Barack Obama be held to a similar standard over decisions he makes? It will be well worth our time to take notice as this saga continues.
Obama has at least for now given himself 100 days after inauguration to think of some way to satisfy and appease. Hopefully he will also take the difficult task of national security as seriously as did his predicessor…no matter what.