A Dissenting Justice essay published on May 16, 2009 asked the question: "When Will Obama Close the Guantanamo Bay Prison?" The essay asserted that Obama's timeline for closing the facility by January 2010 might not come to fruition because lawmakers and the public opposed moving detainees to the United States. Also, the administration was preparing to retain the military tribunal system created during the Bush administration, which would obviate the need to move detainees to the United States. Furthermore, a review of the facility commissioned by President Obama had concluded that it did not violate human rights law. Accordingly, I suspected that Obama might not meet his deadline for closing the disparaged facility.
Recent developments are causing commentators to wonder again when Obama will close the detention center. In particular, opposition to moving detainees persists, and an Illinois site chosen as a relocation center will probably not be in shape to house detainees for several more months. Some lawmakers believe that the administration will not shutter the prison until late 2010 or early 2011.
For a fuller discussion of the issue, see: Guantanamo prison may have to stay open until 2011.
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