WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday released his long-awaited plan for closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying he does not want the next US president — no matter who it is — to have to keep dealing with the albatross of the prisoners held there.Seven years ago Mr Obama said he wanted to close the facility that holds terrorism-related prisoners, but on Tuesday he still had not offered specifics on possible locations for housing them in the USMr Obama called on the Republican-controlled Congress to help enact the plan, but it was met with a volley of rebukes from Republicans, including House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin."It is against the law — and it will stay against the law — to transfer terrorist detainees to American soil," Mr Ryan said. "We will not jeopardise our national security over a campaign promise."Mr Obama noted earlier Republican support for closing Guantanamo Bay and pointed to convicted terrorists already being held...

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