Obama to resume military trials for Guantanamo detainees
At the start of his presidency in January 2009, Obama banned filing new military tribunal charges against Guantanamo Bay prisoners. President Obama on Monday lifted the ban he imposed two years ago on military trials for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
The Obama administration is resuming military trials for terrorism suspects detained at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba — another step back from Obama's 2008 campaign promise to close the prison.
With 170 detainees still at Guantanamo and more terrorism suspects likely to be captured and sent there, pressure was building for new military prosecutions. "We can expect to see a new round of charges come out real soon, possibly in days or weeks," one administration official said.
Legal groups usually supportive of the president were highly critical Monday.
"With the stroke of a pen," said Tom Parker of Amnesty International, "President Obama extinguished any lingering hope that his administration would return the United States to the rule of law by referring detainee cases from Guantanamo Bay to federal courts rather than the widely discredited military commissions."
“It’s baffling to me that the White House, which prides itself on operating differently than its predecessor, would repeat the same mistakes by refusing to work with Congress to create a comprehensive plan for the long-term detention and prosecution of detainees at Guantanamo Bay,” he said in a statement.
On March 7, 2011 President Obama has given the green light to resume military trials, conducted by military officers, with a military judge presiding, of terror suspects detained at Guantánamo Bay.[224] He also signed an executive order that moved to set into law the already existing practice on Guantánamo of holding detainees indefinitely without charge.[225][226] ,... But the problem with the order is the president’s decision to formalize the system of indefinite detention
Just some reading for those who wonder how Obama is doing in closing Gitmo.
a few things to consider.. he banned trials from Jan 2009 to March 2011..
Just a little delay in an otherwise speedy process.. :?
He signed into LAW the ability to hold the detainees indefinitely :?
and to top it off.. he has plans of bringing in more detainees :?
seems to me like Obama is doing what is needed and has accepted the Bush policy and made great strides to make it a permanent facility, policy and LAW. (so why would anyone be upset?)