Jay Alan Liotta

“ To conclude, our detention policies ensure that detainees under the control of the Department of Defense, anywhere in the world, are cared for humanely and in complete compliance with our obligations under the laws of armed conflict, applicable US law, and binding international treaties. I am proud of our outstanding service members who serve at Guantanamo, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq who are committed to ensuring that our detention mission is carried out in a safe, humane, legal, and transparent manner, while balancing the needs of operational security. They deserve our gratitude. ”

“ Without question, the single greatest reason to limit access to detainees is to provide for their personal safety, as well as that of the guards and other military personnel who interact with them on a daily basis. It is not unique to Guantanamo that every interaction a detainee has with an individual from outside the camp affects not only that detainee, but all those who live in the same camp with him. ”

“ Depending on the circumstances, there are some occasions when we allow a foreign government access to a detainee if that country is considering accepting the transfer of the detainee for resettlement in their country. This is an exception to policy and is approved on a case-by-case basis. ”