President Barack Obama, in one of his first actions in office, ordered the closure of the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay. He also ordered an in-depth study of the prison camps to decipher whether the terrorists and alleged terrorists at Gitmo are properly treated and that U.S. troops are abiding by the Geneva Conventions.
The report, part of which was leaked on Friday, shows that Gitmo “complies with the humanitarian requirements of the Geneva conventions” and that the prisoners are treated with dignity.
A Pentagon official, who spoke anonymously, said that it showed that the Bush administration created a humane detention camp that has been unfairly characterized by critics. Speaking of the remaining 245 detainees there, this official said the report underscored that if the men are moved, they may “go from a humane environment to a less humane environment,” according to The New York Times.
Well, well, well. As we at Move America Forward (MAF) have been saying, Obama has stepped in it. He has no plans for these dangerous beasts and, until he ordered his attorney general to visit Gitmo, he had made no efforts to know the truth about what happens at the state-of-the art prison.
MAF visited Guantanamo Bay over the Christmas holidays and saw firsthand the living conditions of these prisoners, who have committed acts of terrorism or battled against America and her allies in the war on terror.
I saw the exercise yards with elliptical equipment; learned about the six meal plans from which these detainees choose their weekly meals; saw the interrogation rooms for the hardest terrorists (these rooms have cushy, overstuffed couches); viewed the high-quality flat screen televisions the terrorists watch on their nightly movie nights; and observed the play yards where groups of detainees played soccer together.
Throughout the prisons, arrows are painted on the floor so when the prisoners are called to prayer five times a day (all prisoners are Muslim), they know where Mecca is.
The prison is climate-controlled and each prisoner has a doctor and an orderly and a nurse, better healthcare than our troops and the American taxpayers who foot the bill for these terrorists receive.
So it is no surprise to me that Obama’s report shows that the terrorists and suspected enemy combatants are living in appropriate quarters and are in good condition. The attacks on the Bush adminstration were hogwash from ignorant people.
The report did find that prisoners should spend more time out of their cells, but I saw a lot of freedom at Gitmo.
The review, conducted by Adm. Patrick M. Walsh, the vice chief of naval operations, describes a series of steps that could be taken to allow detainees to speak to one another more often and to engage in group activities, the government officials said. For years, critics of the prison have said that many detainees spend as many as 23 hours a day within the confines of cement cells and were only permitted recreation alone in fenced-off outdoor pens.
The report, which Walsh is scheduled to discuss publicly at the Pentagon next week, is being presented to a White House that some government officials have described as caught off guard by the extreme emotions and political cross-currents provoked by Guantánamo. Some critics said that the report’s conclusions are likely to intensify the debate about the prison, and put the Obama White House for the first time in the position of defending the prison.
The detainees spend plenty of time outside of their cells. The most compliant get to be out of their cells for hours upon hours, playing foosball and soccer and exercising. They also take art and English classes.
The Obama administration better believe they are going to feel pressure and heat from those of us who know the truth about Gitmo. MAF has produced a commercial, which you can see here.
There is no logic behind closing Gitmo. It is safe and humane, as Obama’s report shows.
Please help us fight to keep Gitmo open and terrorists out of America by donating to our advertisement campaign here.
We want to run this advertisement throughout the country and continue to apply pressure on Obama to change his dangerous course on closing Gitmo.
You may also sign our petition here demanding that Obama keep Gitmo open.
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