The miserable job of Obama's Gitmo envoy

Posted By Joshua Keating Thursday, September 17, 2009 - 5:43 PM Share

By all accounts, former Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried is a very talented diplomat, but as Obama's "Gitmo czar," he's been given one thankless task. Despite some successes -- Hungary this week joined the ranks of Bermuda and Palau in agreeing to take in detainees -- he tells the BBC that progress has been infuriatingly slow:

He says his job is miserable because he is "cleaning up a problem".

He also revealed he was reprimanded by the UK over his decision to send four detainees to Bermuda.[...]

Working out what to do with the remaining detainees is "a huge problem and a complicated one," says Mr Fried.

So far, the number being held there has been reduced by just 16 - and one of those committed suicide. There are now 226 left.

At this rate, Fried's job should be done around 2018. No wonder he's pushing for the U.S. to take some of the detainees in.

Hat tip: UN Dispatch

Ermal Meta/AFP/Getty Images

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