On Friday's Special Report with Bret Baier, FNC correspondent Jennifer Griffin informed viewers that the Obama administration has once again snubbed the British government, as the administration transferred a group of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the British protectorate of Bermuda without first consulting the British government as protocol requires. Substitute anchor Chris Wallace raised the issue:
Let's talk about the Bermuda part of the story because Bermuda is a British protectorate. We supposedly have a special relationship with the U.K., but we didn't talk to them, we didn't inform them about our deal to put the Uighurs there.
Griffin described the administration's faux pas as "stunning":
Story Continues Below Ad ↓It's quite stunning. The State Department and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, did not inform her British counterpart, did not inform the British foreign office that they plan to fly those four Uighurs there yesterday. Quietly, they flew them on a chartered flight from Gitmo to Bermuda. They had only negotiated with the premier of Bermuda. The premier had agreed to it, but he had not consulted with his parliament. And he had not, according to protocol, done what he was supposed to do, which was consult with the British. So the British, one of our main allies, are very annoyed that they were not consulted, Chris.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Friday. June 12, Special Report with Bret Baier on FNC:
CHRIS WALLACE: Increased political pressure is forcing the Obama administration to back away from its plan to release some former Guantanamo detainees in the U.S. and that could complicate efforts to get other countries to take prisoners. This after six detainees including four Chinese Muslim Uighurs were released on Thursday. We have Fox News team coverage tonight. National correspondent Catherine Herridge is in Bermuda with more on the transfer of the Uighurs to the island. But first, national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin is live at the Pentagon with the latest on the administration's apparent change of plans. Hey, Jennifer.
JENNIFER GRIFFIN: Hi, Chris. Well, the Obama administration appears to be in a real hurry to try and find a place for these 50 detainees at Gitmo that have been cleared for release. They're in a hurry to do so, so that the president can stay on track with his wish to close the Gitmo facility in the next six months. But what we're seeing is two different voices out of the White House right now. Some U.S. officials in the Obama administration telling us this morning that, in fact, the administration had backed away from the idea of bringing any of those detainees to the United States, because, in fact, they are experiencing too much trouble up on the Hill, especially among Democrats. And this is going to cause problems for the Obama administration with European allies who want some detainees to come to the U.S. if they're going to take some of those detainees in Europe, Chris.
WALLACE: Now, Jennifer, one of the issues I gather is the $100 billion war supplemental bill and that is factoring into the negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill.
GRIFFIN: That's right. Those are heated discussions that are going to continue next week in the House and Senate, debates over the $106 billion war supplemental to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And essentially Democrats and Republicans have attached language in which no funding is being given to close Gitmo until the president presents a detailed plan for how he plans to close the facility. He has not done so yet, so there's no funding to close Gitmo. And also added is a stipulation that no detainees can come to the U.S., cannot even come to a prison in the U.S. unless that plan is presented. So a lot of tension. A lot of -- all eyes will be on the Hill next week with this debate over the war funding supplemental, Chris.
WALLACE: Now, Jennifer, let's talk about the Bermuda part of the story, because Bermuda is a British protectorate. We supposedly have a special relationship with the U.K., but we didn't talk to them, we didn't inform them about our deal to put the Uighurs there.
GRIFFIN: It's quite stunning. The State Department and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, did not inform her British counterpart, did not inform the British foreign office that they plan to fly those four Uighurs there yesterday. Quietly, they flew them on a chartered flight from Gitmo to Bermuda. They had only negotiated with the premier of Bermuda. The premier had agreed to it, but he had not consulted with his parliament. And he had not, according to protocol, done what he was supposed to do, which was consult with the British. So the British, one of our main allies, are very annoyed that they were not consulted, Chris.
—Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.



















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Classic example of the
June 16, 2009 - 14:46 ET by BuffNBoneClassic example of the "Jesuit" principle, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
Excuse me, folks, but what
June 16, 2009 - 14:53 ET by ThisnThatExcuse me, folks, but what Obama did was absolutely correct.
Doesn't Bermuda have a Gitmo Detainee Acceptance Czar? That's all you need to transfer prisoners from one country to another. A Czar can do anything he wants. He can set pay levels (we call that a Pay Czar); he can shut down car companies (Car Czar); and declare the Constitution unconstitutional (soon-to-be-announced Law Czar).
So, let's give Obama a break here. He's only doing what normal dictators do.
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Liberals constantly demand that we accept a glaring falsehood as truth; Obama's elimination of the word "terror" will make terrorist acts less terrifying
So, let's give Obama a break here. He's only doing what normal d
June 16, 2009 - 15:01 ET by iconoclast"So, let's give Obama a break here. He's only doing what normal dictators do."
LOL...that is just priceless!
Glad this is here
June 16, 2009 - 15:01 ET by bigtimerGlad this is here now...heck, I've put posts and links about this for a few days now...if this had been Condi Rice and Bush, the msm would have been all over this demanding answers. screeching 24/7 about what an absolute outrage this was...
I can just hear it...how dare King George do this....the buck stops with him...blah blah blah.
...but hey, O is a Citizen of the World dontcha know!
...talk about double-standards, bias, hypocrisy and all that jazz, it is maddening!
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Protocol?
June 16, 2009 - 19:14 ET by iveseenitallThis administraton rivals the Clintonistas with their immature, ignorant lack of interest in issues such as protocol. Led by the supreme narcisist, it's all about them and their "needs". This is a pathetic, dangerous bunch. Eventually, they will "sneak" all the detainees they can out of Gitmo. Then they'll close it and release the rest in the U.S. They have to be watched, but instead will be enabled by the sychopants in the press. Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
You guys don't know what
June 16, 2009 - 15:12 ET by motherbeltYou guys don't know what you're talking about.
Michelle cleared this with the Queen when they had tea at Buckingham Palace!
<snort>
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
Where are the comics?
June 16, 2009 - 15:23 ET by slickwillie2001This is another Bamster incident that should be a gold mine for late-night comedy, but not a word will be heard.
Maybe not Late-Night comedy, but just wondering ...
June 16, 2009 - 15:41 ET by KC MulvilleIf these are the necessary steps to restore the respect of
June 16, 2009 - 15:40 ET by JTPthe USA that was so badly damaged by President Bush I would hate to see what O'Bambi would do to piss our allies off.
"Live for yourself...there's no one else more worth living for.
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"- Rush--Anthem
Memo to Baz
June 16, 2009 - 15:49 ET by kangaroojust reminding you that virgin islands, guam, and puerto rico are part of the united states, you do know that right, LOL
Queen, I am not amused
June 16, 2009 - 15:56 ET by kangarooafter michelle romping around the castle with the Queen, the day before (if my memory serves me right) must have known about the transfer of the gitmo guys to Bermuda surely, and I am sure as I have a cuppa in the morning she didn't say anything to the Queen, luckly, she may be in the london tower in shackles, lmao
talk about sticking it to the pomms
roo... ...and O was busy
June 16, 2009 - 16:04 ET by bigtimerroo...
...and O was busy doing this in the meantime....
...and Michele may have problems with this.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Re problems
June 16, 2009 - 16:17 ET by slickwillie2001I generally don't like Senator Grassley, but he's getting his act together lately. He's not going to let go of this Inspector-General illegal firing.
G'day bigtimer,thanks for
June 16, 2009 - 16:32 ET by kangarooG'day bigtimer,
thanks for the laugh, that brought back memories, my brother has a name on answers, help the baby stole my dingo, lol
I had already read the second one, just have to wait and see what happens, but it has been a few days so probably nothing unless someone gets a major bee in their bonnet, I know grassley has, hope he doesn't get knocked on the head
Ms O
June 16, 2009 - 16:59 ET by boomerconSaw the photo of Michelle romping with the dog (not the queen) on Drudge this AM, and caption says she's some sort of fast rising fashion icon.
That caused me to do a double take, and sorry, but those shorts...my great aunt used to have a pair just like that, and she was NOT a fashion icon, just a farm gal.
Then I did a triple take...good grief! How many yards of material did it take to cover that rear?
Fashion icon? In the words of Clarence Page, "Negro Please"!
boomer... I saw that
June 16, 2009 - 17:13 ET by bigtimerboomer...
I saw that picture yesterday and again today there also...
Fashion icon...the msm have gone completely out of their minds...that apron the other day she was wearing was something I would never be caught dead in, what she wore in London was an embarrassment, and I did mention that right off the bat, I rarely talk about fashion or criticize what some wear on here, but she is beyond belief, and the media are goners.
Btw...the size of those legs and rear are something to behold, like her arms that they love, just so chiseled...and all that jazz.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
It's offical, the klingon
June 16, 2009 - 17:34 ET by kangarooIt's offical, the klingon has been photo shopped. After those real photos came out she must of had a donut binge, and put on fifty pounds in a week, but really you cant go fat skinny fat like that in that amount of time, unless your doprah
since when does
June 16, 2009 - 16:30 ET by ronthe new god have to consult with anyone? he is all wise and all knowing and his decisions are not to be questioned because is never wrong.
I assumed the British accepted the prisoners...
June 16, 2009 - 19:23 ET by jawebster1for a truckload of money. To find out Obama did it without consultation is indeed stunning. How did we come to this? Jim Webster
Makes you wonder
June 16, 2009 - 19:53 ET by general companyWho got the truck load of $
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
jessieH
June 17, 2009 - 09:53 ET by jessieHjessieH Sounds like hillery & Obama are trying to treat the British like they are Americans.
So Obama got the political
September 26, 2009 - 22:55 ET by Henry_LewisSo Obama got the political prisoners freed without getting Britain's consent. I trust that he has reasons for doing so with the information that he has..and which we don't. It's not like those detainees will get on any New York Cruises. They're still not free men.