Throughout his 2008 campaign, Barack Obama routinely promised the American people that he would shut down U.S. operations in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
And eight years later, that promise turned out to be a lie.
The White House said Tuesday that the Guantanamo Bay detention center will remain open when Obama leaves office.
“At this time, I don’t anticipate that we will succeed in that goal of closing the prison,” spokesman Josh Earnest said. “But it’s not for a lack of trying, I assure you.”
Last weekend, Obama made his final release of prisoners, sending ten detainees to Oman.
In June of 2016, Obama made sure to release Abdel Malik Ahmed Abdel Wahab al-Rahabi, the bodyguard, 9/11 planner, and possible relative of Osama bin Laden, from the prison. Three months later, Obama's administration informed the American people that two more Islamic terrorists released by Obama returned to the battlefield to fight against the United States. That news lifted the total to nine people freed from Guantanamo who rejoined militant groups since Obama began releasing them in 2009.
It was also reported in 2016 that Americans have been killed by prisoners released from the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
"What I can tell you is unfortunately there have been Americans that have died because of (Guantanamo) detainees," Paul Lewis said. "When anybody dies, it is a tragedy and we don't want anybody to die because we transfer detainees."
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