Take Down

From the beginning of this administration, people have been comparing Obama to Bush in about every way possible. One important, if not the most important, comparative issue would be national security. 

One of the issues illustrating the differences between the two presidents in foreign policy is the deadline set by Obama to shut down Guantanamo Bay Prison. Unfortunately for Obama, closing Guantanamo is yet another campaign promise he has failed to accomplish on time, if at all.

The Obama administration is beginning to see that shutting down Guantanamo might not be as easy as some of Obama's various other accomplishments, such as….um….er…oh, speeches on how he is going to fix everything.

As Christopher Boucek wrote in his article "Guantanamo's Impact on U.S. National Security," Obama is facing "ongoing problems finding countries willing to accept detainees."  This apparently came as a surprise to the Obama administration. Who wouldn't want to welcome a bunch of trained murderers onto their soil?

The current administration is looking at transferring the detainees to a different location. The new location would be the Thompson correctional facility in Illinois. 

Moving these terrorists will not solve any problems; it will merely transfer Guantanamo to a different location(s). It will simply move these terrorists, whom nobody else wants, straight to the heart of the U.S.. Unless the Obama administration is looking for a real life sequel to "Escape from New York," this seems like a really bad idea.

Another issue Obama faces with closing Guantanamo would be the most recent attempted terrorist attack on U.S. soil, known as the Christmas day "underwear bomber" episode. The Obama administration seems surprised that terrorists are still plugging away at our super secure airlines; we, did, after all, offer the fig-leaf of shutting down Guantanamo, did we not?

Is it possible that terrorist leaders such as bin Laden crossed their fingers and prayed to Allah that we would really shut down Guantanamo by Jan. 22? Could it be that this gesture from us did not illicit in them a desire to cuddle and make up? Is it possible that terrorists now believe that the U.S. is turning into a bunch of white-flag waving, bowing patsies?

With the Guantanamo Bay detterent gone, terrorist activity is encouraged. Now, if terrorists are caught with their pants down, they will be simply shipped off to Illinois.

Perhaps we could all give President Bush a little credit for his National Security policies.  At least the leaders of the United States did not look like a bunch of little girls during Bush's presidency. The Obama administration tells terrorists that we will make their living conditions more pleasant if they are caught. Bush gave terrorists incentives to never, ever get caught, but to quit, and even to never start.

Teddy Roosevelt said, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick." That's good advice. But all the Obama administration seems capable of doing is speaking softly and bending over.