RNC Chair Michael Steele released the following statement after President Obama delivered his remarks on the Christmas Day bombing attempt:
“While I am pleased that the president has acknowledged the breakdown in our system, I continue to urge him to recognize the genuine terrorist threat that our country continues to face. Too often President Obama and Democrats disregard the fact that terrorists are at war with us, which is dangerous thinking in this post-9/11 era.
“Some decisions – though politically popular with his left wing base – have not helped keep America safe. International terrorists are not common criminals; treating them as such and granting them the same protections as United States citizens compromises our national security and denies U.S. intelligence services valuable information. Attempting to close Guantanamo Bay will not stop al Qaeda from plotting attacks on Americans. President Obama should immediately and thoroughly reevaluate his decision to close this detention center. It is clear that the threat of terrorism is still a major concern for our country and it is time for Republicans and Democrats alike to come together and do everything we can to detect and stop future attacks before they happen.”
