Posted on 05/14/2015 4:57:41 PM PDT by jazusamo
The House rebuffed a proposal Thursday to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility by the end of 2017.
An amendment to the annual national defense authorization that would provide a framework for closing the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, failed on a vote of 174-249.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee and author of the amendment, called the facility an "international eyesore." He noted that the U.S. already has prisons that can hold dangerous convicted terrorists.
"We have the facilities. We have the ability to hold them safely here," Smith said.
The legislation maintains the current ban against transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to the U.S. It also prohibits building facilities to house detainees on American soil.
Republicans argued that the need for a place to detain suspected terrorists would not go away even if the Guantanamo Bay prison were closed.
"I struggle to understand why we would close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp only to finance the incarceration of enemy combatants within the United States," Coffman said.
President Obama first pledged to close the Guantanamo Bay facility upon taking office in 2009. But he has repeatedly encountered resistance from Capitol Hill throughout his two terms.
The White House issued a veto threat against the defense authorization in part because of the Guantanamo Bay restrictions. It argued in a Statement of Administration Policy that "operating this facility weakens our national security by draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and partners, and emboldening violent extremists."
Smith offered a similar amendment to last year's defense authorization, but it also failed to pass muster in the House.
Final passage of the fiscal 2016 defense authorization is expected Friday morning.
The Pope will write the next proposal. That’ll take care of it.
Someone tell Obama that we don’t have any allies any more.
You’re right about that. He’s done an outstanding job of alienating some of our best allies, it seems he’s only good at doing things that hurt our nation.
“It seems he’s only good at doing things that hurt our nation.”
That was the plan since 2008. Bring down the country to something unrecognizable. You know, fundamentally transform it.
Hey were stuck with Lord Foul until 2017 and he's a hell of a bigger "International eyesore" than Gitmo! And no way does that camel humper apologist get to put closing Gitmo down as an achievement after ignoring that campaign promise for seven years.
We can close it, but I propose we first find out how many are still murderous thugs and send them to all-ha.
(Hint: those still there try their best to harm the soldiers watching them every chance they can. So it would be, in essence, a firing squad assembly line.)
Once proven reformed, either through meeting their moonrock in the sky or other means, they can be shipped back parcel post postage due upon delivery in cheap boxes to wherever they belong.
Adam Smith is an international eyesore to Conservatives.
You’ve got exactly the right idea and I’d bet all terrorists still remaining there deserve their 72 Helen Thomas’.
I’d only say we should keep one cellblock open to retain our treaty regarding Gitmo and we could send any terrorist captured there for a quick tribunal before dispatching him.
No, 0bama is not sad. Gitmo will be converted to a prison for high value domestic dissidents leaders- conservatives, vets, Bible believing Christians.
Maybe some of the Muslim prison inmates will be turned into guards.
Lifes not what it was prior to the 2014 elections for our Obie from Nairobi? oh goshers!
Obie from Nairobi bump. :)
I do so HOPE That the Great Leader Appreciates these heatfelt tributes to his Home Country of Kaneyuh!!
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