Only 61 detainees remain in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp now that 15 have been transferred to the United Arab Emirates. After the single largest transfer out of the camp by President Obama, the chief executive appears dead-set on closing the prison before he leaves office, a goal with an arbitrary, or perhaps legacy-focused, deadline.

Obama’s campaign pledge to close the prison was foolish. It is one of many promises made before he had to deal with the realities of governing.