Guantanamo Bay: Closure plan in 'final stages' - Is this a good thing?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:16:58 -0400

Guantanamo Bay: Closure plan in 'final stages' - Is this a good thing or will we have to open this up back again someday? The US has rejected in giving back the property to the Cuban Government at this point. Should we continue to hold our ground?

Your thoughts and comments from a strategic standpoint RP Members?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33626398

Guantanamo Bay: Closure plan in 'final stages' - BBC News

The White House is in the "final stages" of drafting a plan to close the controversial US military prison Guantanamo Bay, a spokesman says.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Jul 22 at 2015 7:20 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:20:23 -0400

Congress should not permit Gitmo to close... No matter how bad the Administration needs a legacy.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 7:20 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:20:39 -0400

I hate the misdirection in the media, wether or not they decommission the JTF here or not (which I don't see happening any time soon) GTMO will remain open.

It has been a Naval station for roughly 100 years and is a strategic refueling port for ships and a major hub for CG Cutters that patrol the Caribbean.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 22 at 2015 7:47 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:47:25 -0400

Ignoring the "closing" issue, but focusing on the underlying Prisoner issue which is the real concern.

The fact that we are using a base on what is essentially "foreign soil" to bypass the requirement to provide Due Process to "Prisoners of War" or "Detainees" or whatever the hell the buzzword of the day is bothers the hell out of me.

I get that these guys are dangerous. I get that these guys mean us harm. But that doesn't mean we get to bypass the "Spirit" or "Intent" of the Constitution for the sake of convenience.

And yes, I know the American People don't want them here either. I know no other country wants them. But, when you make a decision to "Arrest" or "Detain" or "whatever" these yahoos, you take on an obligation to deal with the consequences, and you do so using our rules, not trying to create some sleazy legalize backdoor way around it.

"We're not really breaking the rules" is just a fancy way of saying "We're breaking the rules."

Response by Rick Wiseman made Jul 22 at 2015 7:50 PM

Rick Wiseman — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:50:22 -0400

They're not going to close GTMO, they may say publicly they will but, it will remain open to some extent. It's like the Black Projects they all deny are in the works then 20 years later someone reveals that it did exist... I loved getting to visit GTMO with my Unit and would love to be able to return for another visit. It's quite interesting seeing the reaction when you are able to legitimately tell someone you have gotten to visit Cuba. In the 24 years since I have been out of the Military I have only met (in person) 2 other people (and I have travelled across the Country quite extensively) that have been there as well.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 22 at 2015 8:15 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 20:15:27 -0400

The current administration reminds me of several of Jonathan Swift's political 18th century satires the most famous of which is Gulliver's' travels COL Mikel J. Burroughs. Where else would an administration cozy up to a totalitarian government that is housing so many fugitives from US justice including policeman killer Joanne Chesimard has been living in Cuba under the name Assata Shakur since 1984; while, at the same time attempting to close a secure prison holding perhaps the most dangerous criminal terrorists in the world [who are not going to be summarily executed by their captors].
If we close Guantanamo Bay then in the future fights with radical Islamic terrorists and thugs and whatever diabolical non-state actor enemies we will be forced to face in the future, we would most likely have to hold these prisoners somewhere in the USA.
Anybody who has watched the nearly comical dance among the states of where to store nuclear waste since Yucca Mountain, Nevada was proposed decades ago, can expect a bigger conflict about where these potential enemies of the state and virtually every american would be exiled to.

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Jul 22 at 2015 8:30 PM

PO2 Mark Saffell — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 20:30:40 -0400

This will get Americans killed. But oh wait. Obama's promise to the left is more important than american lives

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 9:02 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 21:02:10 -0400

COL Mikel J. Burroughs, With the reconciliation with Cuba, I wonder if GTMO was included in the agreement, to be returned to Cuba. I really hope not, because then, that would put us and Cuba in very uncomfortable positions. I can visualize ISIS moving in and daring us to take it back. May sound crazy, but nothing surprises me these days.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 10:08 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:08:00 -0400

The fact they are not going to give the ground back is an indication there are other things at work here. It will be interesting to see what happens if the prison is not closed by the time President Obama leaves office, not sure that any other administration will have the same outlook on it. Regardless of the detest many Americans have for the prison, it housed some of the most dangerous people in the world that wished every American harm. I think many Americans forget the events that lead up to its creation and the capture of so many terrorists.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 22 at 2015 10:10 PM

COL Charles Williams — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:10:01 -0400

COL Mikel J. Burroughs I think we need it. I do not like putting HVDs there and holding them, but we are at war, and we need to place to house HVDs. We have used GITMO for other things, and I doubt we will give it up. I am wondering where we will put detainees?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 10:11 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:11:54 -0400

It will make space for the future hotels needed to house all the American tourists that will flock there when travel restrictions to Cuba are eventually relaxed

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Jul 23 at 2015 7:51 AM

PO2 Mark Saffell — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:51:28 -0400

This President is going to cost American lives and we even think about putting a bigger liar in that office. Really after 8 years of him I'm not sure the country can survive Hillary

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 9:05 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 09:05:21 -0400

We should keep the base; hopefully we'll eventually have a good relationship with Cuba and it won't be an issue. But we need to get rid of that prison there and find another way to deal with the detainees. The political black eye we get from the jail offsets any "benefits" we may get from it.