Guantanamo Bay promise to be kept by Obama

India's News.Net
Tuesday 13th January, 2009

The US military prison at Guantanamo Bay will be closed in the first week of the new presidency.

The Obama presidential transition team has announced an executive order will be given by the new president to close the prison as soon as logistics allow.

It will be one of two executive orders to do with Guantanamo prisoners; the other being an order to halt certain interrogation methods.

Last weekend, Barack Obama said it would be a challenge to close Guantanamo even within the first 100 days of his administration.

He said his administration would start the process of deciding what to do with the estimated 250 Al Qaeda and Taliban suspects who are being held in the prison.

While most have not been charged with a crime, many nations have resisted previous efforts to repatriate the prisoners to their respective homes.

Obama advisers have said it's hoped that nations that had initially resisted taking detainees will be willing to do so under a new administration.

The Obama administration will have to decide which Guantanamo detainees can be released.

A difficult issue for Obama will be what to do with 15 so-called "high value” detainees, who are considered among the most dangerous.

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