Switzerland to Consider Taking Gitmo Detainees

In an important development, Switzerland now says it may be willing to take some of the detainees from Guantanamo Bay once they are released.

Switzerland is ready to consider taking in detainees from the U.S. prison for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba if that helps to shut it down, the Swiss government said on Wednesday.

“For Switzerland, the detention of people in Guantanamo is in conflict with international law. Switzerland is ready to consider how it can contribute to the solution of the Guantanamo problem,” the government said in a statement.

And it looks like this is a direct result of increased good will due to replacing Bush with Obama:

Switzerland said it welcomed the expressed intention of U.S. President Barack Obama to close the prison and would investigate security and legal implications of possibly taking in detainees…

Under Bush, Washington tried in vain to persuade its allies, in particular in the 27-nation European Union, to take in inmates who cannot go back to their home country and who the United States does not want to accept either.

Portugal made a similar announcement just after the election in November.