Moving quickly to reverse many former Bush administration policies, President Barack Obama signed orders Thursday to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, shut down secret overseas CIA prisons, review military trials of terror suspects and ban the harshest interrogation tactics. Obama's three executive orders and presidential directive reshape how the United States prosecutes and questions Al-Qaeda, Taleban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans. They also mark a reversal of eight years of a secretive Bush administration policies that authorized harsh interrogations, the secret kidnapping and transferring of suspected terrorists, and a domestic surveillance program. “We intend to win this fight. We're going to win it on our terms,” Obama said of fighting terrorists. But he added he didn't want to have to make a “false choice” between successfully waging war against terrorist organizations and hewing to US human rights ideals in the process. Other measures by the Obama administration were running into difficulties. Two House committees prepared for a floor vote next week on Obama's $825 billion-plus economic stimulus package, which was not picking up the level of Republican support that Obama was hoping for. And some Democrats expressed frustration at a separate hearing Thursday that the bill doesn't do enough to rebuild America's crumbling infrastructure. At the same time, the House cast a symbolic vote rejecting Obama's request for the unspent $350 billion in a bailout fund for the financial sector. The vote has no effect because the Senate had already refused to block the money's release, making it available to the new administration. But it illustrated the difficulties facing Obama as he moves ahead to spend the bailout money without irritating public opinion. The vote came as the government reported that initial jobless benefit claims rose to a 26-year high. Another report indicated that new home construction plunged to an all-time low in December, capping the worst year for builders on records dating back to 1959. Fixing the faltering economy has been a top concern for Obama, who has asked to be briefed on it every morning in a way that is similar to the national security briefing he receives every morning. The point man for the administration's economic rescue effort, Timothy Geithner, moved closer to becoming treasury secretary Thursday, when the Senate Finance Committee cleared his nomination and sent it to the full Senate. Obama signed the order to shutter the Guantanamo prison within a year on his second day in office. The order notes that “in view of significant concerns raised by these detentions, both within the United States and internationally, prompt and appropriate disposition of the individuals currently detained at Guantanamo and closure of the facility would further the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice.” Former detainees, human rights advocates and government officials around the world welcomed the move, as did Congressional Democrats. But it drew questions from Republican leaders. In other orders, Obama created a task force to recommend policies on handling terror suspects detained in the future, and directed personnel to follow the US Army Field manual during interrogations.
