WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kit Bond, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today made the following remarks on the Senate floor where he urged President Obama to abandon plans to close Guantanamo Bay, emphasizing that Americans don’t want terrorists in their neighborhoods.

 

“Mr. President – Keeping the American people safe is this government’s highest priority.

 

“And keeping our nation safe should not be a political issue, it is an American one.

 

“Which is why I was disappointed when the White House made an early national security decision based on politics, not what’s in the best interest of keeping America safe. 

 

“I’m talking about the President’s plan to close the terrorist detention center at Guantanamo Bay without a backup plan.

 

“I have been sounding the alarm over this rash decision since the President announced it in January.

 

“But it’s not just my side of the aisle questioning the President’s decision to close Guantanamo with no plan on how to handle the terrorists housed there.

 

“Yesterday, Democratic House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey said “So far as we can tell, there is no concrete program.”

 

“Mr. President, that’s my point exactly.

 

“This is a classic example of a READY, FIRE, AIM strategy.

 

“I prefer aiming before shooting, which is why I keep calling on the President to tell the American people how his plan to close Guantanamo will make our nation safer.

 

“The President needs to honor his pledge of transparency and provide the American people with answers.

 

“How the President answers these questions is even more important now that some of the terrorists could be coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

 

“That’s right – some of these terrorist-trained detainees could be coming to American communities.

 

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“Last week the Obama Administration admitted as much.

 

“Defense Secretary Gates testified before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee that as many as 100 Guantanamo detainees could be coming to the United States.

 

“Whether these terrorists are coming to the prison in nearby Kansas or a halfway house in a city in Missouri or any other state – I can tell you this:

 

“Americans don’t want these terrorists in their neighborhoods. 

 

“That’s why when put to a vote, the Senate voted 94 to 3 against importing detainees to American soil – even if that meant to a maximum security prison.

 

“Americans also don’t want these terrorist sent back to the battlefield to kill our troops. 

 

“And we know that the terrorist detained at Guantanamo have gone back to the fight.

 

“The Pentagon has confirmed that at least 18 detainees who were released have gone back to the fight.  43 more are suspected of doing the same.

 

“Mr. President, There are no easy solutions here.

 

“So instead of meeting an arbitrary deadline to close Guantanamo Bay, I hope the White House will reconsider.

 

“I hope the President will realize that closing Guantanamo Bay without having a plan to deal with the terrorists currently there and future terrorists captured on the battlefield is not in our nation’s best interest.

 

“Closing Guantanamo with no plan is one campaign promise that can’t hold up to national security realities.”

 

 

                                   

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