President Barack Obama said Thursday that the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba has become generated ill-will toward America and made allies less apt to work with the United States.
“The original premise for opening GTMO – that detainees would not be able to challenge their detention – was found unconstitutional five years ago. In the meantime, GTMO has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law,” Obama said at National Defense University, according to text of the speech as prepared for delivery. “Our allies won’t cooperate with us if they think a terrorist will end up at GTMO. During a time of budget cuts, we spend $150 million each year to imprison 166 people –almost $1 million per prisoner. And the Department of Defense estimates that we must spend another $200 million to keep GTMO open at a time when we are cutting investments in education and research here at home.”
