Posted on 01/15/2016 2:12:41 PM PST by jazusamo
Congressional Republicans are sending an early warning to the Defense Department that its plan to close Guantánamo Bay would break the law.
"No matter how hard the President wishes it wasn't the case, transferring dozens of dangerous terrorists to any domestic location is illegal," Republican Sens. Cory Gardner (Colo.), Pat Roberts (Kan.) and Tim Scott (S.C.) said Friday. "Moving the detainees to South Carolina, Kansas or Colorado will not lead to even the smallest change in the beliefs or propaganda of radical Islamic terrorists."
They added that the President Obama's push to create a "Gitmo North" location within the United States makes the country less secure.
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) added, separately, that any push to bring detainees into the United States would "represent a blatant and serious violation of the plain language of the law."
Ayotte and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) have also requested that the Armed Services Committee have a hearing on Obama's Guantánamo Bay policy.
Their comments follow comments from Defense Secretary Ashton Carter Thursday that he has "framed for the President a proposal to establish an alternative location," including moving some detainees into the United States.
The Pentagon has sent teams to review facilies in South Carolina, Kansas and Colorado as potential alternatives to the Cuban facility.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest, however, said Friday that he was unable to confirm if the White House is reviewing the Pentagon's plan.
"I don't know the answer to that question," he told reporters. "Presumably the White House has some insight into the work that they are doing. ... I don't know if they've emailed over a draft version or anything."
The Obama administration has pledged for months that it intends to turn over a plan to close the controversial Cuban facility to Congress, as part of an effort to fulfill a long-standing campaign pledge to close the prison.
The administration announced earlier this week that it had transferred 10 detainees to Oman, bringing the Cuban prison's population below 100 for the first time since it was opened in 2002.
Republican leadership, however, have signaled they have no interest in taking up the president's forthcoming plan, and have sent several bills to Obama's desk that directly forbid him from moving detainees into the country.
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on Friday that there was "one problem" with Carter's proposal: "It's illegal, and that's not going to change anytime soon."
Asked earlier this week if Congress would be able to prevent Obama from shuttering the facility, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said "I sure hope so."
"I'm a big fan of using Gitmo the way it has been used and I think -- hopefully, he will fail in his effort to completely remove all of these bad guys from Guantánamo," he told reporters.
The White House hasn't ruled out the president trying to use his executive authority to close the prison.
So what if it is illegal? What is Congress going to do about it? Obama has demonstrated that he owns Ryan and McConnell and harsh sounding denunciations are not going to stop Dear Leader.
‘Illegal’ has no meaning to Obama .... in fact, throwing “that’s illegal” at him seems to act as a green light for whatever he wants to do.
illegal?
SO?
“What the Hell difference does that make now, anyway!?”
(with thanks to Hillary)
we’ve had 7 years of mostly illegal/unconstitutional governance already... and McConnell has done NOTHING to stop or slow it in all that time
Everyone is missing the big story here.
Obama will not just close he military prison in Guantanamo, but he will pull out all the U.S. forces and give it all back to Castro!
Yep, but many are not missing it, that’s exactly what bambam intends to do by giving it back to his commie buddies.
And Cuba is already hearing from Iran, North Korea and other enemies of the U.S., that they they are anxious to lease the base the minute Obama moves out the last prisoner. Won't it be nice having a foreign enemy Navy base just off our Eastern shore?
This has been Obama's objective all along.
“White House press secretary Josh Earnest, however, said Friday that he was unable to confirm if the White House is reviewing the Pentagon’s plan.”
Notice the two-step here? It’s the PENTAGON’S plan (if they decide not to do it). But be certain that Obama will claim full-credit if/when he actually does it.
The day after the election, Obama can put them all on a charter plane and send them to Pakistan, Nigeria, or wherever he thinks they will do the most good.
Yes, I noticed that and you’re right. We can bet no one in the military except the butt kissers are for this plan.
I don’t doubt Obama would dearly love to hand Guantanamo over to Cuba (which has never controlled it in the 100+ years it has been independent), but is there any way that he can be stopped if he tries it?
Might as well close it. It will be empty by the time O’’Beelzebub releases all the terrorists contained there.
“So what if it is illegal? What is Congress going to do about it? Obama has demonstrated that he owns Ryan and McConnell and harsh sounding denunciations are not going to stop Dear Leader.”
Nice negotiation ploy. Say you will bring them to the US. Congress says no. Obama says he will instead send them back to their home countries. Closes Gitmo.
Game, set, match....
If the detainees are moved, Congress should pass legislation requiring their detention next door to wherever the obam makes his final residence. If their presence presents no danger, he should sign off on the bill without delay.
Exactly. All talk, no action.
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