Obama Order to Shut Gitmo, CIA Detention Centers

The Mandate Also Requires U.S. Interrogators to Adhere Strictly to Army Rules

By JAKE TAPPER and HUMA KHAN

Following a meeting with 16 retired military officers today, President Obama signed three new executive orders, the first of which calls for shutting down the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention center "as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from now," as ABC News first reported Wednesday.

"The president believes that what he did today will enhance the security of the American people, that it lives up to our values as American people. ..." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a news conference Thursday afternoon.

The second order requires all U.S. interrogators in all agencies to adhere to rules in the Army Field Manual, and shuts down CIA detention centers around the world.

"This is me following through on not just a commitment I made during the campaign, but I think an understanding that dates back to our founding fathers, that we are willing to observe core standards of conduct, not just when it’s easy but also when it’s hard," the president, with Vice President Joe Biden at his side, said before he signed the order.

The third order establishes an interagency task force co-chaired by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the attorney general to conduct a review of detainee policy and interrogation techniques going forward.

The president also signed a memorandum stating that the Department of Justice would review the case of Qatar native Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, the only enemy combatant who is not in Guantanamo Bay. Behind this order is the idea that he needs to get the same kind of review that other detainees are getting.

"With those three executive orders and this memorandum, the message we are sending around the world is that the United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism, and we are going to do so vigilantly; we are going to do so effectively; and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals," Obama said. "We intend to win this fight. We’re going to win it on our terms."

Republicans such as Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, have expressed concern about where the detainees will go. Some detainees can be transferred to other countries, and under the executive order, a review will be set up immediately to examine this. The order also directs the secretary of state to seek international cooperation aimed at achieving the transfers of detainees.

In a note sent to employees following these orders, CIA Director Mike Hayden said the agency would follow direction from the new government "without exception, carve-out or loophole" but added that "our agency has many counterterror tools in its arsenal. The rendition, detention and interrogation program has been an important one."

Just last week, Hayden was asked about putting the CIA under the Army Field Manual in a briefing, to which he said, "I would never order it."

"To assume automatically that a manual written for the purposes of the Army Field Manual would suit the needs of the Republic in all circumstances, I just think that’s a real shot in the dark," he said.

Torture techniques, especially waterboarding, were a hotly contested topic during Obama’s presidential campaign. After he won the presidential election, Obama reiterated time and again that the United States does not torture.

"I was clear throughout this campaign and have been clear throughout this transition that under my administration, the States do not torture," Obama said at a press conference two weeks ago. "We will abide by the Geneva Conventions that we will uphold our highest values and ideals."

Like his first full day in office, Obama’s schedule is fully booked again today. The president spent the morning meeting with top economic advisers and his senior staff.

In the afternoon, he heads over to the State Department and meets with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon.

Before an audience of State Department employees, Obama and Clinton will announce new envoys, including former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East, and Richard Holbrooke as special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This morning, newly minted Secretary of State Clinton emphasized diplomacy and teamwork in a speech to department employees on her first day.

"I believe with all my heart this is a new era for America," Clinton said. "We will make clear as we go forward that diplomacy and development are essential tools in achieving the long-term objectives of the United States."

Obama is already focusing on international diplomacy despite the mountains of domestic challenges facing him.

Wednesday he met with national security advisers, the Iraqi ambassador and Gen. David Petraeus to begin working on a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq by the summer of 2010.

"During the discussion, I asked the military leadership to engage in additional planning necessary to execute a responsible military drawdown from Iraq," Obama said in a statement following the meeting. "In the coming days and weeks ... we will undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan in order to develop a comprehensive policy for the entire region."

Fixing the Recession

Guantanamo Bay and Iraq are not the only hot button issues facing Obama. The administration is likely to face increasing pressure to implement a fix for the economy. Even though Obama has repeatedly warned that things will get worse before they get better, he has taken steps that his administration feels will bring some relief to the economy, such as working with Congress members to draft a new stimulus package.

Last week, senators gave the Obama administration access to the remaining $350 billion in the Troubled Asset Relief Program funds to stabilize the financial markets, which the new team has promised to spend with more accountability. Today, the House will vote on the same resolution. House leaders are expected to meet President Obama next week to discuss the stimulus package and other issues.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/LawPolitics/story?id=6707095&page=1