Victory for Republicans: Democrats Forced to Smack Down Obama's Gitmo Closure Plan

Why should anyone appropriate money to a plan that doesn't exist?

Remember Obama's first act as President was a very public signing of the Executive Order mandating that the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed in one year?

At the time Obama was asked about the details of that plan such as what to do with the worst of the worst terrorist scum at Gitmo. Obama suggested that they'd have to work those details out later.

Well, four months have passed and Obama insists he will close the state of the art detention facility on time and yet STILL hasn't devised a plan on what to do with the detainees.

Members of his own party are not happy. The House of Representatives earlier voted against funding for the closing of the facility and now the Senate follows suit:

Democrats concede on Guantanamo Bay
By DAVID ROGERS
Politico5/19/09

In a clear setback for President Barack Obama, Senate Democrats moved Tuesday to both wipe out $80 million in new funding for the closing the Guantanamo detention facility and bar the administration from moving prisoners to U.S. soil until there is a more detailed plan provided to lawmakers.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) confirmed the decision, which follows intense pressure from Republicans going into debate over a $91.3 billion wartime spending bill expected to come to the floor late Tuesday.

“We’ll wipe out all the money,” Inouye said, “And I’ll put in a provision that says none of the funds in this bill or any other bill can be used to pay for the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo to the United States.”
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“We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

You have Republicans like House Leader John Boehner (OH) and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) to thank for this roadblock to Obama insanity. It was the opposition they organized among their members which gave Democrats up for re-election in 2010 the willies.

While the GOP can chalk up another battle won, the fight on this issue isn't over. Let's hope common sense continues to reign when the issue comes up again.