White House Regroups on Guantanamo

Washington Post ^ | 9/24/2009 | Ann Kornblutt

[Saije]

With four months left to meet its self-imposed deadline for closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Obama administration is working to recover from missteps that have put officials behind schedule and left them struggling to win the cooperation of Congress.

Even before the inauguration, President Obama's top advisers settled on a course of action they were counseled against: announcing that they would close the facility within one year. Today, officials are acknowledging that they will be hard-pressed to meet that goal.

The White House has faltered in part because of the legal, political and diplomatic complexities involved in determining what to do with more than 200 terrorism suspects incarcerated at the prison. But senior advisers privately acknowledge failing to devise a concrete plan for where to move the detainees and mishandling Congress.

To address these setbacks, the administration has shifted its leadership team on the issue. White House Counsel Gregory B. Craig, who initially guided the effort to close the prison and who was an advocate of setting the deadline, is no longer in charge of the project, two senior administration officials said this week.

Craig said Thursday that some of his early assumptions were based on miscalculations, in part because Bush administration officials and senior Republicans in Congress had spoken publicly about closing the facility. "I thought there was, in fact, and I may have been wrong, a broad consensus about the importance to our national security objectives to close Guantanamo and how keeping Guantanamo open actually did damage to our national security objectives," he said.

[Saije]

Craig's quote makes absolutely no sense. Is he trying to say that Obama announced that Gitmo would close in a year because some Republican talked about how it should happen? That's total B.S. He campaigned on closing it. And now he can't get it done. Duh.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Craig's quote makes absolutely no sense.

It's the typical "canine fecal matter" that rests between the ears of liberal, impersonating a brain. What did you expect? A RATLIB actually admitting they f**ked up? right... /s

[hole_n_one]

Craig said Thursday that some of his early assumptions were based on miscalculations, in part because Bush administration officials and senior Republicans in Congress had spoken publicly about closing the facility.

Bush's fault.

What a surprise.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Obama administration is working to recover from missteps

Boy President strikes again.

[elkfersupper]

This is all posturing.

As soon as he said it, his kook fringe supporter base was appeased and rational people will never mention it again for fear that he might actually do it.

[Typical_Whitey]

What this is insane. The incompetence of the Obama Administration knows no bounds... Where did they move this clown to head up health care reform so he can come back later and say somemore idiotic trash?

Don’t let them get away with this. Blast it GOP should be out front with it.

We told you, We Told you, We told you. Obama is incompetent.

[Freee-dame]

The White House has faltered in part because of the legal, political and diplomatic complexities involved

This can be said for all of 0's policies.

[rbg81]

Obama will have to belay his Executive order. Or...he will just free the Gitmo detainess and give them a pension for life. No hard feelings, right guys?

[NonValueAdded]

Craig said Thursday that some of his early assumptions were based on miscalculations, in part because Bush administration officials and senior Republicans in Congress had spoken publicly about closing the facility. "I thought there was, in fact, and I may have been wrong, a broad consensus about the importance to our national security objectives to close Guantanamo and how keeping Guantanamo open actually did damage to our national security objectives," he said.

What a maroon. Series.

[From The Deer Stand]

They should move these prisoners to the Rayburn House Office Building — they’d feel right at homel.

[milagro]

Now THAT would be torture!

[aShepard]

I’m seriously getting tired of the blame Bush bullshit!

It’s time for Zer0 to grow a pair and take some responsibility for his pronouncements!

[maica]

Not possible for leftists to take responsibility for actions. They operate on intentions and feelings.

Any decision that will result in a non-reversible action, will be delayed, studied, conferenced, discussed, delayed, focus-grouped, re-studied.....