Debating the future of Guantanamo Bay
ListenGuests: Karen Greenberg and Charles Stimson
President Obama has renewed his long-standing pledge to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . In a speech last week addressing U.S. counterterrorism policy, he said he would lift his moratorium on the transfer of Yemeni prisoners which would allow some 56 of the 166 terror suspects being held to be released to their government. He also said he would designate a location in the U.S. to conduct military commissions to try detainees. But despite what the President said “has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law,” the closing of the Guantanamo still faces opposition in Congress which has placed restrictions on the transferring of prisoners to their own country, other countries or imprisoning them in the United States . So can and should the U.S. close the prison and what does the future hold for the terror suspects being held there ? We’ll debate and answer those questions with guests KAREN GREENBERG, Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University and CHARLES STIMSON, Manager of the National Security Law Program and Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
(AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.