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On Top Of The News Email:news@arubatoday.com website: www.arubatoday.com Tel:+297 582-7800 Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Time Served

President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Ash Carter, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Wash-
ington, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, to discuss the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Obama administration released its long-awaited plan to close the
detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transfer remaining detainees to a facility in the United States.

(AP Photo/Pablo Monsivais)

Obama Makes Case for Guantanamo Bay Closure

L. C. BALDOR Congress to change the do what’s required now, I gress showed no interest in Even Sen. John McCain,
K. HENNESSEY law that prohibits moving think future generations are having that conversation. R-Ariz., a former prisoner of
Associated Press detainees accused of vio- going to look back and ask “We will review President war and an advocate of
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- lent extremist acts to U.S. why we failed to act when Obama’s plan but since closing the prison, called
dent Barack Obama’s plan soil. Fourteen years after the right course, the right it includes bringing dan- Obama’s report a “vague
to close the detention cen- the facility opened and side of history, and justice gerous terrorists to facili- menu of options,” which
ter at Guantanamo Bay, seven years after Obama and our best American tra- ties in U.S. communities, he does not include a policy
Cuba slammed into a wall took office, the president ditions was clear.” knows that the bipartisan for dealing with future de-
of Republican opposition argued it was “finally” time Despite the big ambitions, will of Congress has already tainees.
on Tuesday, stopping cold to shutter a facility that has Obama’s proposed path been expressed against Obama has “missed a ma-
Obama’s hope for a bi- sparked persistent legal remained unclear. The plan that proposal,” said Senate jor chance to convince the
partisan effort to “close a battles, become a recruit- leaves unanswered the Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Congress and the Ameri-
chapter” that began in the ment tool for Islamic mili- politically thorny question Connell, R-Kentucky. can people that he has a
aftermath of the Sept. 11 tants and garnered strong of where in the U.S a new House Speaker Paul Ryan, responsible plan to close
attacks. opposition from some al- facility would be located. R-Wis., said Obama had the Guantanamo Bay de-
The long-awaited proposal, lies abroad. “I don’t want It offered broad cost es- yet to convince Americans tention facility,” he said.
which was requested by to pass this problem onto timates. The White House that moving detainees It’s not clear whether that
Congress, is Obama’s last the next president, who- described it as more of a to U.S. soil is “smart or safe.” chance ever existed.
attempt to make good on ever it is,” Obama said in conversation starter than a “It is against the law — and
an unfulfilled campaign an appearance at the definitive outline. it will stay against the law,” Continued on page 3
promise by persuading White House. “If we don’t Republican leaders in Con- Ryan said.