Commander defends Gitmo

[unhappycamper]

Commander defends Gitmo
By Russ Bynum - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 24, 2008 5:55:14 EST

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The commander of the Guantanamo Bay detention center defended it amid rising pressure in Washington to close the U.S. military prison used to detain suspected terrorists.

In an interview Tuesday, Navy Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby told The Associated Press he is confident most Americans do not want the roughly 275 detainees held at the U.S. base in Cuba transferred to American prisons.

“A lot of people may say, ‘Let’s close Guantanamo,’ but the reality is no one wants them in their backyard,” Buzby said.

President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have publicly supported closing Guantanamo, which opened soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Earlier this month, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he also would like to see the military prison shut down because negative publicity about the treatment of terrorism suspects has damaged America’s image worldwide.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_gitmoadmiral_080123/



uhc comment: Meet Navy Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby:

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=63



Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby
Commander, Joint Task Force, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Rear Admiral Mark H. Buzby is a 1975 graduate of the Admiral Farragut Academy and a 1979 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science in Nautical Science and United States Coast Guard Third Mate License. He attended U.S. Naval War College earning a master's degree in strategic studies and international affairs, and additionally holds a master's degree in international relations from Salve Regina University. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College.

As a Surface Warfare Officer, he made numerous deployments in cruisers and destroyers to include: USS Connole (FF 1056), USS Aries (PHM 5), USS Yorktown (CG 48) and USS Shiloh (CG 67). Rear Adm. Buzby commanded the destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) which included the ship’s first Mediterranean/Persian Gulf deployment. Under his command, Carney was awarded two Battle Efficiency awards, the Navy Unit Commendation, Gold and Silver retention excellence awards, and the USS Arizona Memorial Award as the most combat ready ship in the U.S. Navy over a two year period.

Following this tour, Rear Adm. Buzby returned to sea as 6th Fleet assistant operations officer participating in combat operations as part of Operation Allied Force. He then assumed command of Destroyer Squadron 31 as the sea combat commander for Abraham Lincoln Battle Group during two deployments in support of Operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom.

Ashore, he has served on the Navy staff as the Point Defense AAW Section Head for Surface Warfare Division (OP-352E), and as Aegis Combat System Development Officer (N865G3). Early joint experience was on the Joint Staff, Joint Operations Division (J-33/JOD) as an operations officer and Chairman’s Briefer. He was the 16th Commanding Officer of Surface Warfare Officers School Command.

As a flag officer, Rear Adm. Buzby has served in the Navy Staff as Deputy for Surface Ships (N86E), Deputy for Surface Warfare (N86B), and most recently as Deputy for Expeditionary Warfare (N85B).