I seem to recall there were two major issues regarding Gitmo. The desire to shut it down was real, but the first problem was figuring out where to transfer all the “prisoners of war” to. No federal or international institutions wanted them. Second, the cost of litigation for all the potential claims of improper detention skyrocket when you release long term prisoners without due process. What Obama found out was that the cost of maintaining a black prison for undesirables was much cheaper than the liability incurred by shutting it down and finding now homes/outcomes for the inmates. Sunk cost fallacy.
I seem to recall there were two major issues regarding Gitmo. The desire to shut it down was real, but the first problem was figuring out where to transfer all the “prisoners of war” to. No federal or international institutions wanted them. Second, the cost of litigation for all the potential claims of improper detention skyrocket when you release long term prisoners without due process. What Obama found out was that the cost of maintaining a black prison for undesirables was much cheaper than the liability incurred by shutting it down and finding now homes/outcomes for the inmates. Sunk cost fallacy.