奥巴马宣布关闭关塔那摩监狱的计划

AS IT IS 2016-02-24 Obama Announces Plan to Close Guantanamo 奥巴马宣布关闭关塔那摩监狱的计划

United States President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday his proposal to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But leaders of the Republican-controlled Congress quickly criticized and re-stated their opposition¹ to the plan.

Obama said at the White House that Guantanamo Bay “does not advance our national security, it undermines it.” He asked "If, as a nation, we don't deal with this now, when will we deal with it?"

The president appealed to Congress to be “on the right side of history” and asked the nation to act on the “lessons” learned over the past 15 years.

Paul Ryan is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Republican speaker said, "Congress has left no room for confusion. It is against the law—and it will stay against the law—to transfer terrorist detainees to American soil."

Michael McCaul is the House Homeland Security Chairman. He said, “We are at war, yet incredibly the president is more focused on relocating and releasing enemy combatants than on detaining new ones.”

Guantanamo Bay opened after 9/11

The Guantanamo Bay prison opened in 2002 under the administration former President George W. Bush. Its opening followed the September 11 terror attacks in New York and Washington.

Obama promised during his 2008 presidential campaign that he would close the prison. The center has become known for its aggressive treatment of detainees. Some accused the United States of torture.

This week, Obama said that Guantanamo is “viewed as a stain on our broader record of upholding the highest standards of rule of law.”

Almost 800 detainees have been held at Guantanamo Bay. Many of them remained there for long periods of time without being charged with a crime or put on trial. Many of the detainees have been sent back to their home countries. Others have been sent to nations willing to take them in. Fewer than 100 detainees remain there.

Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo

On Tuesday, the U.S. Defense² Department delivered Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo to the United States Congress.

The plan proposes 13 sites within the United States where the military could transfer a group of about 30 to 60 detainees. The proposal does not recommend which U.S. site should be chosen for the transfer. The proposed sites include federal prisons in Kansas, Colorado and South Carolina, as well as military centers.

Current U.S. law bans the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to locations within the United States. Some say those transfers could bring security concerns.

However, a top administration official said closing the prison is important to national security. The official said that the facility has “inspired” jihadists and served as a recruiting tool for terrorists.

Obama said that when he took office, there was Congressional support from both Democrats³ and Republicans for closing the prison. But, over time, lawmakers have become "worried about the politics" of it, he said.

With less than a year left in his presidency⁴, 91 detainees remain.

Words in This Story

confusion - n. a situation in which people are uncertain about what to do or are unable to understand something clearly

stain - n. something that causes people to have less respect for someone

transfer  - v. to move (someone or something) from one place to another

inspire  - v. to make (someone) want to do something

recruit - v. to find suitable people and get them to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。