Obama's Gitmo Order Isn't What It Seems

With a stroke of the pen, President Obama rewrote American detention and interrogation policy yesterday. Or not, writes Josh Gerstein for Politico. He offers reasons not to overstate Obama’s policy changes:

• "Everyone has to follow the Army Field Manual—for now…": Obama is convening a group to study writing additional policies; a rights group calls this an “escape hatch” from his no-torture policy.

• "Obama ordered a 30-day review of Guantanamo conditions—by the man currently responsible for Guantanamo": Defense Secretary Robert Gates is “not exactly impartial,” says a lawyer representing prisoners.
• "The vast majority of detainees in American custody may see no benefit from Obama’s orders": Most prisoners are in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• "The orders downplay the possibility that some prisoners might be set free in America": “I don’t expect this problem to go away,” says a law professor.

To read the full list, click the link below.
(More Obama administration stories.)