Guantanamo decision ill-conceived (Rep. Charlie Dent)

Last week I joined with several of my Republican colleagues on the House Committee on Homeland Security to raise questions about the impending closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Administration needs to provide answers as to where international terrorism suspects currently housed at Guantanamo will be placed once it is closed. I remain greatly concerned that some of the prisoners may be transferred to institutions on American soil or released.

In March, the President acknowledged the difficulty in determining the level of danger posed by certain prisoners currently housed at Guantanamo. To that end, I expect the Administration’s assurance that they have a plan to keep such truly dangerous people — individuals including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the admitted mastermind behind 9/11 — from threatening the security of our communities and overall national security if and when these detainees reach the United States.

Frankly, the Administration’s actions on this matter don’t appear to have been well considered. If this Administration has developed a safe and effective course of action to deal with very dangerous terror suspects and bring them to justice, I welcome it. Until then, I remind this Administration to consider its first obligation to protect the American people before issuing revisions to policies that may hinder our national security.