Apparently Democrat Senators didn’t get Obama’s memo on Gitmo closure
So if it was of dire importance to elect Democrats to office to close the gaping wound in America’s honor that Gitmo represents, how come Senate Democrats just voted to pull the funding necessary to actually do that?
President Barack Obama’s allies in the Senate will not provide funds to close the Guantanamo Bay prison next January, a top Democratic official said Tuesday.
With debate looming on Obama’s spending request to cover military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the official says Democrats will deny the Pentagon and Justice Department $80 million to relocate Guantanamo’s 241 detainees.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposed changes to the bill were to be unveiled later.
The administration has yet to develop a plan for what to do with the detainees, and Obama’s promise to close the facility is facing strong GOP opposition.
It appears to be a tactical retreat. Once the administration develops a plan to close the facility, congressional Democrats are likely to revisit the topic, provided they are satisfied there are adequate safeguards.
So, basically, the Democrats are now taking the Bush Administration position that the base will be closed when it’s safe to do so? Hmmm.
