Obama's order to close Guantanamo
Why the next step in reversing Bush policy might be harder
What happened
President Barack Obama on Thursday signed executive orders to close the controversial U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year. He also called a halt to the use of harsh interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects. (The Washington Post)
What the commentators said
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Now comes the hard part—actually shutting down Guantanamo, said Matthew Waxman in Foreign Policy. Sending detainees who aren’t dangerous back to their home countries is one part of Obama’s plan. “The big question is what to do with any detainees who are too dangerous or heinous to send home but who cannot be effectively prosecuted.”
Obama can’t just transfer the likes of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to a place like Kansas’ Fort Leavenworth, said The Wall Street Journal in an editorial. That would merely relocate “Guantanamo to American soil under another name.” And any process Obama uses to replace military tribunals will invite the same “left-wing attack lines” that plagued George W. Bush.
“Assuring fairness and civilized conditions for the accused, while protecting the nation from bloodthirsty enemies, is harder in this war than in most,” said the Chicago Tribune in an editorial. “But the new administration can do better than the last one did.”
Fixing this part of “Bush’s grotesque legacy will be a lot harder than closing the prison,” said The New York Times in an editorial. And the Bush administration’s harsh interrogation policies will make it tough to give those prisoners who really are dangerous anything resembling true American justice. But in his first hours in office, Obama has made a good start.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy