CLOSING GUANTANAMO BAY: What’s Really Behind Barack Obama’s Obsession?
by Les Weaver
Clash Daily Contributor
Last Week, Empire Leader, (aka Reich Fuhrer), Obama vetoed the Defense authorization bill and one of the two primary reasons is because it included certain legislation that makes it more difficult for him to close GITMO. Don’t just accept my word, check this out independent of what the liars on Crapitol Hill in the District of Corruption serve up for your consumption.
To you “Progressive Democrats, (aka neo-Marxists); I am certain that you contemplate ways to silence me and many of my free thinking peers for not drinking your bovine excrement laced Kool-Aid on this subject. But you will some day have to face that many of us are not blind and deaf by having our heads up Obama’s posterior as do you. Your recourse is to abide by the majority of the American citizens and the safety of the U.S.A. or to continue attempts to repeal the Constitution and silence dissension as occurred in Germany, China Cambodia, the USSR, and so many other countries.
GITMO
I challenge that the Administration is again waving one hand to gain attention so that we don’t see what the other is doing. I do not approve the emptying and/or transfer of the terrorist imprisoned in GITMO to other countries or to the U.S. mainland. But that is most likely a ruse; yes a slight of hand by Obama and his closest supporters. Remember what he whispered into an open mike to the Russian President shortly before the last election that; “I’ll have more flexibility after I’m re-elected”. I believe that here comes another piece of his slight of hand “flexibility”; this slight of hand titled GITMO.
GITMO Naval Base, Cuba
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is shortened to and pronounced “gitmo” by the U.S. military because the airfield designation code is GTMO. The United States leased it for use as a coaling and naval station in the Cuban–American Treaty of 1903 (for $2,000 until 1934, for $4,085 since 1938 until now). The base is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base. Since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, the Cuban government has consistently protested against the U.S. presence on Cuban soil and called it illegal under international law, alleging that the military base was imposed on Cuba by force. (Note that in 1959, at Castro’s order, billions of dollars’ worth of business and private property became Cuban federal property without any compensation.) At the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2013, Cuba’s Foreign Minister demanded the U.S. return the base and the “usurped territory”, which the Cuban government considers to be occupied since the U.S. invasion of Cuba during the Spanish–American War in 1898.
Since 2002, the naval base has contained a military prison, the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, for unlawful combatants captured in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other places during the War on Terror. Mainstream headlines have been focused on issues about the GITMO terrorist military prison and prisoner releases. But there is much more that is not emphasized.
Airfields
There is one active airfield within the base, Leeward Point Field, and was constructed in 1953 as part of Naval Air Station (NAS) Guantanamo Bay. Leeward Point Field has a single active runway, measuring 8,000 ft. Currently, Leeward Point Field operates several aircraft and helicopters supporting base operations. Note that this field can accommodate landing the largest cargo aircraft and although total takeoff weight for the largest aircraft may be limited, these aircraft can also safely depart. The former McCalla Field that consisted of 3 short runways has been closed and now is the location of Camp Justice, the detention camp.
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay
NAVSTA GTMO provides assistance and services to the US Navy and US Coast Guard ships as well as other foreign naval ships operating in the Caribbean Sea. It also supports the fleet participating in the narco-terrorism operations. It launches migrant operations to provide shelter for Haitians and Cubans. It supports joint operations though it is not a joint operations command.
The base hosts numerous tenant commands including the Southern Command Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, Joint Task Force Guantanamo, US Naval Hospital and Branch Dental Clinic.
Other detachments located at the base are: Personnel Support Activity, Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Command, Naval Media Center, Naval Communications Station, Department of Defense Dependent Schools, Navy Brig, and Fleet and Industrial Supply Center.
The military facilities at Guantanamo Bay is reported to employ over 9,500 U.S. Navy and Marine personnel. It is the oldest “foreign” located U.S. military base and the only military base maintained in a Communist country. The base provides its own water and power facilities, totally independent of the Cuban nation.
With all this, why is the key attention on the 100+ terrorist prisoners? Could it be that Obama’s real intention is to first empty GITMO of those prisoners and then cede Gitmo back to Cuba? With the long and close relationship to the USSR, (now Russia) and particularly Putin, is it possible that this base would then display the “more flexibility” that Obama promised to Russia shortly before his re-election? Is it beyond imagination that this 45 sq. mile base, so close to the U.S. mainland could soon become a favored military base for Russian ships, planes and troops?
I don’t know the answers but it certainly would demonstrate Obama’s “flexibility” that would favor the triad of Muslim Terrorists, Cuba’s Communist Castros, and Russia’s Putin.
Image: http://wordswithmeaning.org/guantanamo-bay-hunger-strikers-to-be-force-fed-as-obama-again-vows-to-close-the-detention-centre/#axzz3pd9uduAX
Les Weaver: Born into abject poverty in 1934, he spent his teen years on farms as a foster child and was classified as a farm laborer when he joined the Navy in 1952. After that service, he had a short stint at a University but moved on to 35 years associated with the engineering and technical sciences in Aero-Space, retiring from two Aerospace giants in senior positions and a small business. Until retirement, his writing experience was limited to technical occupational reports. His wife is a German immigrant, now a proud American and together they enjoy gardening. Les takes breaks from gardening to express himself to the politicians by phone, email and now thru ClashDaily/DougGiles.
