Topic: Gitmo Should Close, Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Says

USA Today
January 14, 2008
Pg. 2
Prison's reputation has hurt image of U.S., Mullen says
By Associated Press
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — The chief of the U.S. military said Sunday that he favors closing the prison here as soon as possible because negative publicity about treatment of terrorism suspects has been "pretty damaging" to the image of the United States.
"I'd like to see it shut down," Adm. Mike Mullen said in an interview with three reporters who toured the detention center with him. It was his first visit since becoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October.
His visit came two days after the sixth anniversary of the prison's opening in January 2002. Mullen emphasized that a closure decision was not his to make and that he understands there are many complex legal questions the Bush administration believes would have to be settled first, such as where to move prisoners.
The admiral also noted that some of Guantanamo Bay's prisoners are deemed high security threats.
Mullen, whose previous visit was in December 2005 as head of the U.S. Navy, noted that President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates also have spoken publicly in favor of closing the prison. Mullen said he is unaware of any active discussion in the administration about how to do it.
"I'm not aware that there is any immediate consideration to closing Guantanamo Bay," Mullen said.
Asked why he thinks Guantanamo Bay, commonly called Gitmo, should be closed, and the prisoners perhaps moved to U.S. soil, Mullen said, "More than anything else it's been the image: how Gitmo has become around the world, in terms of representing the United States."
Critics, including Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross, have charged that detainees have been mistreated in some cases and that the legal conditions of their detentions are not consistent with the rule of law.
"I believe that, from the standpoint of how it reflects on us, that it's been pretty damaging," Mullen said.
He said he was encouraged to hear from U.S. officers here that the prison population has shrunk by about 100 over the past year, to 277. At one time, the population exceeded 600.
Hundreds of detainees have been returned to their home countries. Four are facing military trials after being formally charged with crimes. In June, Gates said some detainees are so dangerous they "should never be released."
Mullen's predecessor, retired Air Force general Richard Myers, was a defendant in a lawsuit by four British men who allege they were systematically tortured throughout their two years of detention.
On Friday, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled against the four men.
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bush administration considered Guantanamo Bay a suitable place to hold those suspected of links to the Taliban and al-Qaeda, contending that U.S. laws do not apply there because Guantanamo is not part of the United States.
Lawyers for the detainees have challenged that interpretation.