Obama Order to Formalize Permanent Detention Without Trial

Officials Insist Detention Part of Plan to 'Close Gitmo'

In the latest indication yet that the Obama Administration has no intention of ever allowing most of the detainees at Guantamao Bay to see the inside of a courtroom, the president is said to be preparing an executive order formalizing their permanent detention without trial.

Even though the primary objection to the Guantamao Bay detention center was the administration’s insistance on holding people there without formal charges or actual trials, one official with the administration insisted that the move to continue doing so was “part of the plan” to close the facility.

Which is an overt lie on a number of fronts, but doubly galling in that the claim comes just days after the House formally banned the closure of the detention center and at least a year and a half after the last time the Obama Administration did anything to indicate they intend to close the facility.

Almost immediately after taking office, President Obama stopped the military tribunals and pledged to see Guantanamo closed in the next 12 months. Some 24 months later, he has not only restarted the tribunals with renewed vigor, but is also now formalizing the detention he came into office so objecting to.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.