Obama vows new bid to shut Guantanamo ‘no man’s land’
President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to renew a push to close the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, amid a growing hunger strike by inmates at the controversial jail.
President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to renew a push to close the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, amid a growing hunger strike by inmates at the controversial jail.
Calling the prison a legal “no man’s land,” Obama told a White House news conference he did not want any inmates to die and urged Congress to help him find a long-term solution that would allow for prosecuting terror suspects while shuttering Guantanamo.
“I continue to believe we have to close Guantanamo. I think it is critical for us to understand that Guantanamo is not necessary to keep America safe.
“It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens co-operation with our allies on counterterrorism efforts. It is a recruiting tool for extremists.
“It needs to be closed,” he said.
It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens co-operation with our allies on counterterrorism efforts. It is a recruiting tool for extremists ... It needs to be closed
His tough words were the most extensive the president has delivered on Guantanamo for months and reflected his frustration with Congress, which he blamed for blocking his efforts to shut the jail during his first term.
