Huckleberries Online

Guantanamo Prison May Stay Open ‘till 2011

Posted by Cindy

Dec. 24, 2009 8 a.m. • 6 comments

A guard talks to a Guantanamo detainee in the open yard in Camp 4 detention center on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in January.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama‘s commitment to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by next month may be delayed until 2011 because it will take months for the government to buy an Illinois prison and upgrade it to hold suspected terrorists. Full story.

Thoughts?

Six comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Phaedrus on December 24 at 8:38 a.m.
Before my good friend hmoffsuite jumps in here with his ODS rant about another broken campaign promise, let me just say that I am disappointed that the closure did not happen in the 12 month time frame that was originally proposed, but I understand that the Administration probably did underestimate both the complexity of this process as well as the amount of unwarranted fear mongering that would be generated by its opponents. I am glad they have a plan and a location, let the process proceed.
hmoffsuite on December 24 at 8:45 a.m.
Phaedrus >> “but I understand that the Administration probably did underestimate both the complexity of this process”

That is what happens when a President that is not experienced nor properly qualified for the job gets elected. Obama should not have made that commitment. Period. He has to learn to under promise and over deliver. He has to remember that the campaign is over and he doesn’t need to make loftly promises. Just make ones that you know you can keep. That is the ‘learning experience’ here, imo.
Phaedrus on December 24 at 9:00 a.m.
That is the ‘learning experience’ here, imo.

Agreed. But you behave as if Obama is the first, nay, the only, President to enter office on a learning curve. All Presidents enter on a learning curve, so your obsession with Obama is all the more hypocritical. The extent of GWB’s foreign policy experience was a couple of hours sitting in the Saudi Crown prince’s private jet, on a runway in Texas, getting briefed on “thew world according the the Royal family.” No wonder our foreign and energy policies were centered around oil.

BTW, Merry Christmas!
hmoffsuite on December 24 at 9:08 a.m.
Phaedrus. >> “All Presidents enter on a learning curve, so your obsession with Obama is all the more hypocritical”

I won’t belabor the point but Obama is the LEAST experienced of any president that I can recall. His short tenure in the Senate with many ‘present’ votes. How many days did he spend in the Senate? 300 or something? Not many. He had never run any kind of administration that involves making hard decisions. Like being a Governor or something. I don’t normally have a problem with ‘on job training’ but, for this particular job, I think it is not good. Merry Christmas to you as well, and all the other HBO community.
Phaedrus on December 24 at 9:35 a.m.
I won’t belabor the point …

Ah, but you already have! ;-)
Arpie on December 24 at 2:02 p.m.
This thread looks like a Christmas present to HMO. Merry Christmas!

« Back to Huckleberries Online

You must be logged in to post comments.
Please create a profile or log in here.

About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.