U.S. may expand use of its prison in Afghanistan

The White House is considering housing international terrorism suspects at Bagram air base, as is done at Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. military recently opened this new prison at Bagram air base, north of Kabul, but the facility remains controversial in Afghanistan because of cases of detainee abuse at the former prison there. (Saeed Shah / MCT / February 11, 2010)

By David S. Cloud and Julian E. Barnes

Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2010

Reporting from Washington

The White House is considering whether to detain international terrorism suspects at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, senior U.S. officials said, an option that would lead to another prison with the same purpose as Guantanamo Bay, which it has promised to close.

The idea, which would require approval by President Obama, already has drawn resistance from within the government. Army Gen. Stanley A. McCrystal, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and other senior officials strongly oppose it, fearing that expansion of the U.S. detention facility at Bagram air base could make the job of stabilizing the country even tougher.

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Tags: Afghanistan, Bagram air base, detaing suspects, Gen. Stanley A. McCrystal, United States