Chase Oliver on Homeland Security : Nov 12, 2022
2008: Close Guantanamo; stop drone policies

A: I started out my political life as an anti-war activist in the wake of the war in Iraq. I was an ardent supporter of Barack Obama in 2008, because he promised to close Guantanamo. He said he was going to stop the drone policies of the Bush administration, and the wars. And he really didn't do any of those things--and yet he got a Nobel Peace Prize. That, to me, was very insulting. And what really bothered me was that the anti-war left that was marching with me in the streets while Bush was president, completely disappeared while Obama was president. That drove me out of the Democratic Party.

Donald Trump on Homeland Security : Jan 30, 2018
Keep Guantanamo open; stop releases & add new prisoners

In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield--including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi.

So today, I am keeping another promise. I just signed an order to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay.

I am also asking the Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qa'ida, we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists--wherever we chase them down.

Donald Trump on Homeland Security : Feb 23, 2016
Keep Gitmo open, and load it up with bad dudes

Trump then mused about one of the Obama administration's reasons for trying to shut the prison down: "Here's the thing I didn't understand," he said. "We spend $40 million a month on maintaining this place? Now, think of it--$40 million a month! What do we have left in there, like, a hundred people, or something? And we're spending $40 million? I would guarantee you I could do it for a tiny, tiny fraction. I don't mean $39 million. I mean maybe $5 million, maybe $3 million. Maybe, like, peanuts."

Marco Rubio on Homeland Security : Jan 28, 2016
Send more terrorists to Gitmo; find out everything they know

RUBIO: I believe the world is a safer and a better place when America is the strongest power in the world. And I believe only with a strong America will we defeat this radical group, this apocalyptic group called ISIS. That's why when I'm president we are going to rebuild our intelligence capabilities. And they're going to tell us where the terrorists are. And a rebuilt U.S. military is going to destroy these terrorists. And if we capture any of these ISIS killers alive, they are going to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and we're going to find out everything they know, because when I'm president, unlike Barack Obama, we will keep this country safe.

Marco Rubio on Homeland Security : Jan 21, 2016
Haul terrorists to Guantanamo for enhanced interrogation

Last year Congress enshrined a torture ban into federal law: In June, the Senate voted 78-21 to approve an amendment, sponsored by Sens. John McCain and Dianne Feinstein, that became law. Rubio missed the vote but opposed the measure, saying he didn't want to deny future presidents "important tools for protecting the American people." He also complained about "telegraphing to the enemy what interrogation techniques we will or won't use."

The McCain-Feinstein amendment requires that all interrogation comply with the Army Field Manual, a publicly available document that forbids waterboarding as well as the use of electric shocks, dogs, nudity, hypothermia and mock executions. All were elements of the CIA's interrogation program in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Marco Rubio on War & Peace : Jan 14, 2016
Against ISIS, either they win, or we win

Mike Huckabee on Civil Rights : Sep 16, 2015
Stop criminalization of Christianity, like on gay marriage

Bernie Sanders on Homeland Security : Sep 5, 2015
2009: Voted against closing Gitmo; 2015: supports closing it

In 2009 Bernie voted against the proposals the Obama administration suggested for closing the prison. The bill was defeated with strong bipartisan support (90-6). Given Bernie's human rights concerns regarding the facility, he likely voted against it because the plans did not address the human rights violations--including being held indefinitely without trial--that he and so many other Americans are most concerned about with regards to Guantanamo.

Jill Stein on Homeland Security : Jun 25, 2015
End persecution of government and media whistleblowers

Bernie Sanders on Homeland Security : Jun 1, 2014
Don't let released terrorists get back onto the battlefield

BERNIE SANDERS: I suspect that if you ask Bergdahl's feelings about what happened, they will feel very, very good. I think we need to have more information about the long-term consequences, and do everything that we can to make sure that these terrorists do not get back onto the battlefield.

Ron DeSantis on Homeland Security : Nov 6, 2012
Gave legal support to Gitmo terrorist detention center

He is currently an officer in the reserve component of the United States Navy. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He has lectured on the law of war at Florida Coastal School of Law.

Tim Scott on Homeland Security : Nov 2, 2010
Keep Guantanamo Bay open; keep military tribunals

Marco Rubio on Homeland Security : Aug 11, 2010
No greater risk than radical Islamic terrorists

A: There is no greater risk to our security than radical Islamic terrorists. We must be active in targeting and destroying terrorist cells and their leaders. If they are captured, we need to try them before military tribunals in Guantanamo not in civilian courts in Manhattan.

Mike Huckabee on Homeland Security : Dec 9, 2007
Opposes waterboarding; close Guantanamo as a bad symbol

A: Well, I wouldn't let foreign opinion determine our policies, wouldn't let it dictate it. But we do have to make sure that we live in such a way as Americans that we have friends, not enemies, across the world. And over the past several years, it seems as we've made even our friends our enemies. We've got to change that. There is an important role that the United States has as the most powerful nation on earth militarily and economically, to act in such a way that people respect us and that people also realize that we are a great nation, not one that wants to push ourselves on others.

Mike Huckabee on Homeland Security : Jun 10, 2007
Better to make mistakes at Guantanamo to protect Americans

A: I know it's become a symbol of what's wrong. It's more symbolic than it is a substantive issue, because people perceive of mistreatment when, in fact, there are extraordinary means being taken to make sure these detainees are being given, really, every consideration. Most of our [Arkansas] prisoners would love to be in a facility more like Guantanamo and less like the state prisons that people are in.

Q: But the argument isn't so much the physical condition as to the legal system that they face. These suspected terrorists, these detainees are being held, by and large, without charges, without any evidence. They're just being kept there indefinitely.

A: I understand that. There's not a perfect solution. The perfect solution is to get people to quit being terrorists. If we're going to make a mistake right now, let's make it on the side of protecting the American people

Mike Huckabee on Homeland Security : Jun 10, 2007
Guantanamo prisoners are treated very well

FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL: If it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo. Not tomorrow, but this afternoon. Every morning I pick up a paper and some authoritarian figure, some person somewhere is using Guantanamo to hide their own misdeeds. And so essentially, we have shaken the belief that the world had in America's justice system by keeping a place like Guantanamo open.

A: I know it's become a symbol of what's wrong. It's more symbolic than it is a substantive issue, because people perceive of mistreatment when, in fact, there are extraordinary means being taken to make sure these detainees are being given, really, every consideration.

Mike Huckabee on Foreign Policy : Jan 6, 2006
As governor, visited 41 countries & met with heads of state

A: I've been to 41 countries. I've been to Iraq & Afghanistan. I've been to Israel nine times. I've been to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt. I've been all over Europe & Asia. I've sat down with the heads of state.

Q: But people see a pattern of either not knowing things or getting things wrong.

A: I don't think it's a pattern. When you make lots of speeches, there are going to be times when you have more of a slip. But I don't have a slip of my judgment, or a slip of my character, or a slip of the truth. I know where I stand. I have moral clarity. I have convictions.

Mike Huckabee on Homeland Security : Jan 6, 2006
Keeping Guantanamo prisoners more important than location

HUCKABEE: I felt we should keep Guantanamo open until the court case had come down indicating that there was no real substantive difference in whether they were in Guantanamo or Leavenworth. The fact is, I don't care what the rest of the world thinks. I care what America thinks. And it's become a divisive issue. I visited Guantanamo, & I visited every prison in my state. The truth is, Guantanamo was too darn good. The conditions down there were amazingly hospitable. I thought a little bit too much for my taste, considering what these people had done. So it's a matter of a policy that brings this country together and not tears it apart. I don't think where we keep these people is as important as it is that we keep them and we don't let them go.