Obama should give up plans to close Gitmo

Though President Obama signed a defense policy bill last week that included a provision banning him from moving Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States, he doesn’t appear to have given up on the idea. He should. There is bipartisan opposition in Congress and among state leaders, including Gov. Sam Brownback, to closing Gitmo. Using executive powers to circumvent Congress and move detainees to mainland facilities, as Obama is considering, would be unwise. Though Obama’s desire to close the facility is well-intentioned, he should be working to rebuild a united front in the fight against terrorism, not creating more division. – Phillip Brownlee

This story was originally published November 29, 2015 at 6:05 PM.