How Did the US Get Stuck With Guantanamo?
The full story of Guantanamo – from its creation to the so-called “forever prisoners” held there today.
In 2002 US military personnel at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba were given 96 hours to prepare their sleepy base for the arrival of hundreds of prisoners. “The worst of the worst,” they were told. Beyond US jurisdiction, with no clear legal framework, prisoners accused of terror offences have been held there indefinitely without charge ever since. For many, Guantanamo has stained the image of the United States. When President Obama came to power in 2008 he vowed to close it. He failed. In this week’s Inquiry we are telling the full story of Guantanamo - from its creation to the so-called “forever prisoners” held there today.
Presenter: James Fletcher
(Photo: A US soldier walks next to a razor wire-topped fence at the abandoned 'Camp X-Ray' detention facility at the US Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Credit: Getty Images)
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Clips
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Who’s left at Guantanamo?
Duration: 02:54
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Guantanamo’s Cactus Curtain
Duration: 01:31
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- Tue 17 Jan 2017 02:06GMT91ȱ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Tue 17 Jan 2017 03:06GMT91ȱ World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
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- Tue 17 Jan 2017 21:06GMT91ȱ World Service East and Southern Africa, East Asia, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
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The Inquiry
Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world