"As the president makes a reckless dash to secure his so-called legacy, we should remember that not every legacy is positive,” Cotton said. “Each release of a detainee lets another terrorist return to the battlefield and increases the danger to every American.”
The action was the largest single transfer of Guantanamo Bay military prisoners recorded under the Obama administration. The Pentagon said 12 Yemenis and three Afghans — some of whom had been held for more than 14 years — would be settled in the UAE.
Previous efforts to transfer Guantanamo prisoners into the U.S. were blocked by Congress. As a result, any release must be coordinated with another country. For jurisdictions such as Yemen, where the U.S. chooses not to repatriate inmates due to security concerns, placement may be challenging because a third country willing to accept them must be found.
Sixty-one detainees now remain at the facility in Cuba.
“(These) are hardened terrorists who wished — and still wish — to do us harm. History will not remember President Obama for enhancing our national security — it'll remember him for severely and needlessly weakening it."
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