Change! Obama Will Hold Terror Detainees Indefinitely!

Breaking!

From the Washington Post, "White House Drafts Executive Order to Allow Indefinite Detention of Terror Suspects":

The Obama administration, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close Guantanamo, has drafted an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely, according to three senior government officials with knowledge of White House deliberations.

Such an order would embrace claims by former president George W. Bush that certain people can be detained without trial for long periods under the laws of war. Obama advisers are concerned that bypassing Congress could place the president on weaker footing before the courts and anger key supporters, the officials said.

After months of internal debate over how to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, White House officials are growing increasingly worried that reaching quick agreement with Congress on a new detention system may prove impossible. Several officials said there is concern in the White House that the administration may not be able to close the facility by the president's January deadline.

Whoa!

Compare that to the news from January, "Obama Signs Order to Close Guantanamo Bay Facility."

Here's the video:

The full text of Obama's January executive order is here.

Commentary at Memeorandum.

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UPDATE: From Andrew Malcolm, "Obama prepares to hold Gitmo guys indefinitely, just as Bush did":

In yet another sign of political perfidy, the White House of President George W. Bush has drafted a presidential executive order that would allow that double-dealing Republican chief executive to hold suspected terrorist detainees indefinitely.

According to the president's intentions, such suspects could be detained for long periods of time, virtually indefinitely. Is this really what the nation voted for last November?

Oh, wait. No. According to an exclusive Washington Post report this afternoon, it's the refreshing new Democratic administration of Barack Obama that's now preparing this new executive order to hold certain terrorist suspects indefinitely.

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UPDATE II: See also, Heidi at Big Girl Pants, "Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry - Now Wait," Wordsmith at Flopping Aces, "Drafting a new EO that supports Dubbya’s Claims?", and Moe Lane, "Annnnd There’s the White House Turning Back to Inefinite Detention."