terrorism

With Keystone and Guantanamo, Obama moves to secure his place in history

With Keystone and Guantanamo, Obama moves to secure his place in history

Evan Lips

WASHINGTON – A frenzy of orders emanating from the White House has political pundits theorizing that President Barack Obama, currently entering his last lap as America's commander-in-chief, is shifting his focus from governing to securing his place in the history books.

The latest move occurred last week when the president officially rejected the Keystone XL pipeline project, a plan that called for building a 1,179-mile pipeline from Canada to Nebraska in order to move crude oil from Alberta on to American refineries. In order to cross the border, TransCanada, the project's sponsor, needed permission from the U.S. Department of State. (The southern leg of the project, which moves crude oil from Oklahoma to the Texas coast, is already operational.)

Congress OKs bill banning Guantanamo detainees from US
congress

Congress OKs bill banning Guantanamo detainees from US

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Barack Obama a $607 billion defense policy bill that he is expected to sign even though he adamantly opposes its ban on moving some Guantanamo Bay detainees to U.S. prisons.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill, 91-3, on Tuesday just days after the House passed the bipartisan measure, 370-58. The legislation authorizes Pentagon spending on military personnel, ships, aircraft and other war-fighting equipment.

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