Obama intends to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center before he leaves office and which is why a number of inmates will be moved out of the prison in the coming months.
Inhofe, a top Republican from Senate Armed Forces Committee, explains reactions to this move, in saying, “Mr. Obama is definitely putting his agenda way ahead of our national security. He should not be doing this, but it’s consistent with other things that he’s done. Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Senate — they’re not real excited about lining up with him on these things that he’s doing. I don’t think he’ll get by with it. ”
As they intend to reduce the Guantanamo population greatly over the next six months, talks have been going on with a number of countries who will accept the 64 detainees now set for release as well.
Even though there has been no detainee transfers between 2011 and 2013, officials now hope to reduce the count from 132 to the mid-120s by the end of next month. What makes this move worthy of attention is the fact that the number of detainees will now be almost half the number that took office.
Also, the total number of detainees who have been released for this year has amounted to 28 in all while another five or six prisoners will be moved in the first few weeks of January.
Since Obama is still a long way from closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, congressional opposition is on the cards and which might force the President’s hand to issue another executive order in the process.