Obama Owes us an Apology and an Explanation

[danielrm26]

http://danielmiessler.com/blog/obama-owes-us-an-apology-and-an-explanation

[d23]

> with the failure to close Gitmo

He tried and was blocked by congress. On the rest of the points, I agree.

[diplomatpuppy → d23]

Gitmo is part of our military - as Commander in Chief, Obama can close Gitmo with a telephone call.

To prove this assertion - President Bush opened up Gitmo based on his role as Commander in Chief and didn't need to involve Congress.

[tzs → diplomatpuppy]

That proof attempt fails, because opening and closing are fundamentally different. To close, you have to find something to do with almost 200 occupants, many of home will not be allowed by their home countries to return. This problem does not arise on opening.

[pentheus → d23]

Don't promise something you can't deliver.

[danielrm26 → d23]

Ok, but wasn't that like 6 years too late?

[d23 → danielrm26]

He was blocked from the get-go. I'm not sure what you mean.

[joelrunyon]

Would having him say "I truly believe that without these expanded powers we would not be sufficiently safe." make this all okay?

[hga → joelrunyon]

It would be a start.

I mean, he should be saying something, not having a deputy press secretary make a statement: http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2013/06/07/obama-silent-sur...;

Granted, that ended with: "My final point here: The president welcomes a discussion of the tradeoffs between security and civil liberties."

[danielrm26 → joelrunyon]

No, but it'd be something. Silence is the worst possible thing he can say about it.