Gates Wanted To Close GITMO

Sec. of Defense Gates wanted to close GITMO when he took over, and he had the backing of Condoleezza Rice. However, Vice-President Cheney and Alberto Gonzales got into the President's ear.

(NY TImes) Mr. Gates’s arguments were rejected after Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and some other government lawyers expressed strong objections to moving detainees to the United States, a stance that was backed by the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, administration officials said.

As Mr. Gates was making his case, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined him in urging that the detention facility be shut down, administration officials said. But the high-level discussions about closing Guantánamo came to a halt after Mr. Bush rejected the approach