Obama Falters Over Deadline to Close Guatanamo Bay

By Noquel A. Matos

This past Monday White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs announced that President Obama might not be able to deliver on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center by the pronounced January 22, 2010 deadline.

Obama that made clear during his campaign speech that if he became President he will close the infamous detention center seemed to deliver his promised when only two days after being sworn president, declared a deadline for the closing of the prison. However, as the words of White House Press Secretary convey the President might have miscalculated the prospects to close the detention center.

Now the priority on closing the detention center has shifted from when to close it to how to close it. Mr. Gibbs claimed that the deadline was not the main concern, but how go about moving the prisoners to secure prisons.

Several senators from different states have already expressed concerns regarding these prisoners considered of the worst kind to be hosted on their state prisons. With the controversy that is sure to cause the imprisonment of 9/11 alleged plotters and other terrorist in U.S territory prisons Obama’s administration is trying to maintain the destination of these prisoners confidential.

With all of these factors to take into account in such a delicate issue with the international attention that Guantanamo Bay receives, it’s smart for President Obama to take his time to plan the closing of the prison. Although a question of time remains important into the considerations that go into closing the detention center, the question of effectiveness shall bare more importance.

The American public should be happy that the government is taking a responsible approach to its policy. It has not shied away from the responsibility of acknowledging its challenges and shortcomings.

One shall not think that hesitation is a sign of weakness.

The fact our new elected President is able to be transparent about the possibility of not meeting a deadline three months before that deadline is due and not two weeks before does not tell us he is not firmed on his decisions but that he is thoughtful about them. The decision has never changed; the prison is still getting close, just not hurriedly, at the right time.

URL LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/us/politics/29gitmo.html?ref=americas