It will take a few more years and a congressional change of heart, but President Obama’s promise to close the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay naval base is now on a timeline to take place before he leaves office Jan. 20, 2017.
“It takes a while to get things going,” said a key senior administration official. But, the official told Secrets, “we’ve been putting in that time and we’ve been putting in the preparation and I think we’re going to see the fruits of that very soon.”
Despite an image of inaction, movement is everywhere under the guidance of Special Envoy Clifford M. Sloan, appointed a year ago. Some 79 low-level detainees who officials don’t believe are a threat to the U.S. anymore are slated to be sent home or to some 30 countries, like Uruguay.
The majority of the remaining 70 are getting hearings to make their case that they are no longer a threat. They will likely also get a ticket to another country, saving taxpayers about $2.8 million each to take care of and killing their lawsuits against Uncle Sam.
Some, like the 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, are already on trial in military tribunals.
Then there are those still to be tried that officials would like to transfer to supermax prisons in the U.S. With just a few left at the deteriorating prison in Cuba, costs per prisoner could rise to $10 million compared to $78,000 at a U.S. prison. “It’s just so expensive to keep them at Guantanamo,” said the official.
“There is a path forward,” said the official. “President Obama doesn’t want to hand this problem off to his successor.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
