WASHINGTON: Kuwait’s ruler said Friday he asked President Barack Obama to speed the process of releasing two countrymen held at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Obama earlier this year announced a renewed effort to close the facility, a goal he originally set at the beginning of his presidency in 2009, saying its existence has darkened America’s image abroad while costing the US tens of millions of dollars that could be better spent at home. Congress thus far has thwarted his efforts.
Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah said he discussed the continued detention of the Kuwaiti detainees with Obama during an Oval Office meeting “and asked President Obama to speed up the process of releasing them in line with the president’s commitment of closing down Guantanamo.”
Obama did not mention Guantanamo during remarks by both leaders to the media after the meeting. The civil war in Syria topped the list of discussion points, Obama said, adding that they also talked about peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Iraq and other regional economic issues.
Kuwait presses Obama on Gitmo detainees
