WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kit Bond, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, again called on President Obama to reconsider his decision to close the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

 

“It’s easy to make politically-motivated promises on the campaign trail.  Not surprisingly, the Administration is learning that it’s a lot tougher to make the challenges of dealing with avowed terrorists fit into empty campaign rhetoric.  I urge the President to put our national security ahead of this campaign rhetoric and reconsider his decision to close GTMO.”

 

Bond renewed his call for the Administration to abandon their rash decision to close the terrorist prison after media reports today that a high-ranking Administration lawyer acknowledged the challenges of closing GTMO and stopped short of assuring that the January 22, 2010, deadline to close the Guantanamo Bay facility would be met.

 

Since President Obama issued his Executive order to close GTMO, Bond has repeatedly called on the Administration to explain to the American people why the prison must be closed on an arbitrary, politically-driven timetable with no backup plan for the deadly terrorists housed there.

 

The Administration’s plans have been beset from the start by strong bipartisan criticism and significant complications.  Most recently, the Administration faced accusations of “cleaning” congressional notifications on terrorist prisoners and public outrage over a proposal to send some terrorists to the Midwest.  The Administration also missed an important deadline to outline their plans to release or transfer the remaining terrorist detainees, including 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-conspirators.

 

Although Bond sent a letter to President Obama on May 1, asking for details on the status of and plans for these detainees, he has yet to receive any response.  The Senator is also waiting for the Administration to explain specific measures to ensure that detainees released to Bermuda and Palau are monitored and do not try to enter the United States.   

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