The Obama fox trot begins
Forward and back he goes, depending on which way the focus group blows. Before being elected, Obama promised to close Gitmo. Then, with the reins of power almost in his hands, he panicked and backed off from the promise. Then panic instantly set in again when his focus groups showed that his core constituencies were displeased. Swaying back and forth in the prevailing political breezes (always graceful in the eyes of a sycophantic press) Obama now declares that Gitmo is to be closed immediately, despite the fact that the incoming administration admittedly has no idea what to do with the 200 hardened fighters held there:
President-elect Barack Obama is to issue an order to close the Guantánamo detention centre in his first week in office, according to his advisers.
[snip]
There is no consensus yet on what to do with them. Some will be released, and some could be transferred to other countries, while the remainder could face trial on the US mainland.
A few predictions: At least some of the dudes released will sue. A significant percentage will find ways to return to their chosen battlefields (Afghani mountain ranges, airplanes, shopping malls, etc.) to kill again. And all will complain that they’re feeling helpless without free Korans and halal food, all of which were provided at taxpayer expenses in Gitmo.
With Obama, we’re not getting leadership, we’re getting followership — which is fine when the lady is dancing, but scary when we’re watching the President of the United States in terpsichorian action.