Given my administration’s relentless pursuit of al Qaeda’s leadership, there is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that should have never have been opened.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Excuse me, President Obama —

THE PRESIDENT:  So — let me finish, ma’am.  So today, once again —

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  There are 102 people on a hunger strike.  These are desperate people. 

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m about to address it, ma’am, but you’ve got to let me speak.  I’m about to address it.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You’re our Commander-In-Chief —

THE PRESIDENT:  Let me address it.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  — you an close Guantanamo Bay. 

THE PRESIDENT:  Why don’t you let me address it, ma’am.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  There’s still prisoners —

THE PRESIDENT:  Why don’t you sit down and I will tell you exactly what I’m going to do.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  That includes 57 Yemenis.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, ma’am.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Ma’am, thank you.  You should let me finish my sentence. 

Today, I once again call on Congress to lift the restrictions on detainee transfers from GTMO.  (Applause.) 

I have asked the Department of Defense to designate a site in the United States where we can hold military commissions.  I’m appointing a new senior envoy at the State Department and Defense Department whose sole responsibility will be to achieve the transfer of detainees to third countries. 

I am lifting the moratorium on detainee transfers to Yemen so we can review them on a case-by-case basis.  To the greatest extent possible, we will transfer detainees who have been cleared to go to other countries. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  — prisoners already.  Release them today.

THE PRESIDENT:  Where appropriate, we will bring terrorists to justice in our courts and our military justice system.  And we will insist that judicial review be available for every detainee.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  It needs to be —

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, ma’am, let me finish.  Let me finish, ma’am.  Part of free speech is you being able to speak, but also, you listening and me being able to speak.  (Applause.)

Now, even after we take these steps one issue will remain — just how to deal with those GTMO detainees who we know have participated in dangerous plots or attacks but who cannot be prosecuted, for example, because the evidence against them has been compromised or is inadmissible in a court of law.  But once we commit to a process of closing GTMO, I am confident that this legacy problem can be resolved, consistent with our commitment to the rule of law. 

I know the politics are hard.  But history will cast a harsh judgment on this aspect of our fight against terrorism and those of us who fail to end it.  Imagine a future — 10 years from now or 20 years from now — when the United States of America is still holding people who have been charged with no crime on a piece of land that is not part of our country.  Look at the current situation, where we are force-feeding detainees who are being held on a hunger strike.  I’m willing to cut the young lady who interrupted me some slack because it’s worth being passionate about.  Is this who we are?  Is that something our Founders foresaw?  Is that the America we want to leave our children?  Our sense of justice is stronger than that. 

(Source: whitehouse.gov)