Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of Special Operations Command, has no idea where to store high-level Islamic State detainees for the long-term, given the Obama administration’s goal to shutter Guantanamo Bay.
Votel told Congress Tuesday during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing that while long-term detention is an obvious necessity, it’s completely unclear where these detainees will be held, or even whether the U.S. will be the state tasked with finding a new place to store ISIS officials for interrogation and detention, Stars and Stripes reports.
“I would agree there is a requirement for long-term detention, senator,” Votel said in response to a question from GOP Sen. [crscore]Kelly Ayotte[/crscore], who has served as a long-time critic of the Obama administration’s plan to close Gitmo and relocate hardened detainees to the U.S. and set everyone else free.
Votel did not say where detainees might be held, and also did not say whether the U.S. would detain them.
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said Tuesday the U.S. is actually focused on short-term detention, leading to an apparent contradiction of Votel’s testimony in front of Congress.
Ayotte’s line of questioning was a dig at the Obama administration’s plan to close Gitmo.
Members of Congress have pointed to high recidivism rates as a reason not to let out detainees from Gitmo, and their criticisms of Obama are progressively being vindicated. A new report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence determined that over the last six months, the number of detainees suspected of reengaging has doubled from six to 12.
While the Obama administration has submitted a closure plan to Congress, it is highly unlikely to garner any kind of support. In the meantime, the White House said it will respect Congress’ authority, but did not fully and explicitly rule out taking unilateral steps to close the facility if Congress does not cooperate. There is no doubt, however, executive action would be met with a ferocious legal battle launched by a Congress hell-bent on ensuring the Obama administration does not intrude into its territory.
Department of Defense officials clarified to The New York Times Wednesday that even though special operators are nabbing high-level Islamic State officials, the U.S. has no intention on personally storing them long-term. The head of ISIS’ chemical weapons unit is currently located in Erbil, Iraq, in a temporary facility. After interrogation, special operators will send captured officials to Iraqi and Kurdish authorities.
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