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U.S. NEWS A3
Wednesday 24 February
Obama Makes Case for Guantanamo Bay Closure
Continued from Front relocated to a U.S. facility President Barack Obama speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tues-
that could cost up to $475 day, Feb. 23, 2016. Obama announced Pentagon’s long-awaited plan to shut down the detention
Momentum to close the million to build, but would center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transfer the remaining detainees to a facility in the U.S. The
facility has slowed dra- ultimately be offset by as plan is Obamas last-ditch effort to make good on campaign vow to close Guantanamo.
matically under Obama’s much as $180 million per
tenure. Congress remains year in operating cost sav- (AP Photo/Pablo Monsivais)
deadlocked on far less ings. The annual operat-
contentious matters, and ing cost for Guantanamo
the issue has little reso- is $445 million. The U.S. fa-
nance on the presidential cilities would cost between
campaign trail. $265 million and $305 mil-
Still, for Obama, the facility lion to operate each year,
stands as painful reminder according to the proposal.
of the limits on his power: The plan considers, but
His first executive order does not name, 13 different
sketched out a timeline locations in the U.S., includ-
for closing the prison, but ing seven existing prison
was ultimately derailed by facilities in Colorado, South
Congress. Carolina and Kansas, as
The White House has not well as six other locations at
ruled out the possibility that current correctional facili-
the president may again ties on state, federal or mili-
attempt to close the prison tary sites in several states. It
through executive action also notes that there could
— a move that would di- be all new construction on
rectly challenge Congress’ existing military bases. The
authority. The plan submit- plan doesn’t recommend
ted Tuesday does not ad- a preferred site.
dress that option. Naming a site would have
Instead, the proposal re- certainly further antago-
flects the administration’s nized some members of
strategy of shrinking the Congress. Those represent-
population, hoping the ing South Carolina, Kan-
cost of housing the dimin- sas and Colorado already
ished population would have voiced opposition to
ultimately make closure in- housing the detainees in
evitable. their states.
Under the plan, roughly 35 Advocates of closing
of the 91 current detain- Guantanamo say the pris-
ees will be transferred to on has long been a recruit-
other countries in the com- ing tool for militant groups
ing months, leaving up to and that holding extremists
60 detainees who are ei- suspected of violent acts
ther facing trial by military indefinitely without charg-
commission or have been es or trial sparks anger and
determined to be too dan- dismay among U.S. allies.
gerous to release but are Opponents, however, say
not facing charges. changing the detention
Those detainees would be center’s ZIP code won’t
eliminate that problem.q
US convening meeting on
countering IS recruitment
WASHINGTON (AP) — The reception at the White
Obama administration is House.
convening a meeting this The summit reflects ongo-
week to discuss efforts to ing concerns about slick
counter the propaganda Islamic State propaganda
of the Islamic State and its that encourages disaf-
recruitment of Westerners fected young adults to join
to become terrorists. the terror group’s cause in
The meeting scheduled for Syria or to commit acts of
Wednesday afternoon at violence closer to home.
the Justice Department in- Officials and private sec-
volves government officials tor executives are brain-
as well as dozens of repre- storming ways to fight that
sentatives from advertising messaging, which has of-
and social media compa- ten spread through social
nies and Silicon Valley. media platforms such as
It will be followed by a Twitter.q
