Strategic Detention and Intelligence Operations: GTMO is the Answer

摘要

Since its opening in 2002, the Joint Detention Facility located at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) has energized a significant amount of political debate, in and outside the United States government, and around the world, as to whether or not the facility hinders United States foreign policy. The President has stated publicly he desires to 'close the place down.' However, the fact remains the United States and other western nations are in for a 'long war' against terrorists and terrorist organizations. With that, in spite of the political debate as to its actual location, the US government must have a detention facility that provides a safe, secure, and humane environment to hold detainees captured outside of US borders and one that facilitates strategic intelligence collection until such time a decision is made to outright release those captured; release them to their country of origin or release them to a third party country. Additionally, the US needs a confinement facility to provide for long term confinement if detainees are actually found guilty before a Military Commission as outlined in the Military Commissions Act of 2006. GTMO was the correct choice in 2002 and remains the logical place to conduct these tasks today.