Pete Hoekstra

Hoekstra Statement on Guantanamo Executive Order

Capitol

Washington, Jan 22, 2009 - U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, today issued the following statement after President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order on Guantanamo Bay:

“This is an executive order that places hope ahead of reality—it sets an objective without a plan to get there. Given the fact that we are talking about trained terrorists and people who have committed acts of mass murder, it would seem the proper course would be to have a plan in place before making this decision.

“In briefings yesterday, the administration could not answer questions as to what they will do with any new jihadists or enemy combatants that we capture. What are we to do with these people, bring them to the very place they hoped to attack: The United States? What do we do with confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his fellow terrorist conspirators, offer them jail cells in American communities?

“Given the stakes and unanswered questions, it seems premature for the president to have signed the orders today. One of the biggest challenges we face is that many decisions made early on after 9/11 were made without a clear plan. Is the president risking the same mistakes by making decisions before having a clear plan in place?

“We cannot risk going back to the politically correct national security policies that left us vulnerable in the lead-up to 9/11. Without a clear plan for the detention and interrogation of captured terrorists and combatants, we are unnecessarily risking the safety of our nation.”