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Why is Guantanamo Still Open?

The past, present and future of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre.

On just his second day in office, President Obama signed an executive order to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. It’s now approaching the end of his second term and prisoners are still being held there. Why has it been so difficult to close? And what will happen under President Trump, who made campaign promises to expand it? Join Owen Bennett Jones and his guests on this week’s Newshour Extra as they discuss what the Guantanamo Bay detention camp has achieved and what its future will look like.

(Picture: razor wire and an American flag around the perimeter of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba. Credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

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50 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Dec 2016 04:06GMT
±«Óãtv World Service except Australasia & News Internet

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Contributors

Carol Rosenberg - reporter with the Miami Herald who's covered the Guantanamo story from the start.

David Rivkin - former associate White House counsel in the HW Bush administration, now a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies who's defended the practice of holding enemy combatants as a normal part of war.

Lt. Gen. Mike Lehnert - first commanding officer at Guantanamo military prison - he led the joint task force to build and run it.

Moazzam Begg - British citizen who was held at Guantanamo between 2003 and 2005.  He's now living in the UK and is Outreach Director for the advocacy organisation, CAGE.

Also taking part:

Ambassador Lee Wolosky - US State Department Special Envoy for the Guantanamo Closure.

Senator Pat Roberts - Republican from Kansas and vocal opponent of moving Guantanamo detainees to the United States.

Kate Clark - researcher with the Afghanistan Analysts Network

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 Dec 2016 09:06GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service except Americas and the Caribbean & News Internet
  • Fri 2 Dec 2016 12:06GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Fri 2 Dec 2016 23:06GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service except News Internet
  • Sat 3 Dec 2016 04:06GMT
    ±«Óãtv World Service except Australasia & News Internet

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