APT expresses its deep disappointment in President Obama's announcement yesterday that he will not veto the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (NDAA). The legislation contains provisions that authorize the indefinite detention without trial of persons suspected of terrorism and severely restrict the transfer or release of the men still detained at Guantanamo Bay.
President Obama's failure to veto the NDAA completely contradicts his promises to close Guantanamo and instead paves the way for Guantanamo to stay open indefinitely.
The detainee provisions in the NDAA have been extremely controversial in the United States. On Monday, a joint House and Senate committee approved a conference report on the NDAA. The House of Representatives has already passed the legislation and it is expected that the Senate will pass it later today.