Obama fires back at Cheney over Guantanamo comments

Washington, Mar 22 (ANI): President Barack Obama has criticized former Vice President Dick Cheney over claims that plans to close the prison at Guantanamo will make America less safe, and said holding detainees for years on end with no trials is "unsustainable."

President Obama fired back at Cheney over the former vice president's claim in a CBS News interview for "60 Minutes."

"How many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney?" Obama said in the interview, according to excerpts released on Saturday.

"It hasn't made us safer. What it has been is a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment," FOX News quoted Obama, as saying.

Obama said the US hasn't done a good job sorting out who should be released from the Guantanamo detention facility in Cuba because some freed detainees have rejoined terrorist groups.

But he said the Bush Administration's policy of holding detainees for years on end with no trials is "unsustainable," and has only fueled anti-American sentiments.

The interview, which is scheduled to air on Sunday evening, also focused on the economic crisis and Timothy Geithner, Obama's embattled Treasury Secretary.

Geithner is staying, Obama said, joking that if Geithner tried to resign, he would say, "Sorry buddy, you've still got the job."

Geithner has been criticized over his handling of AIG after news broke this month that bailed-out company had doled out millions of dollars in bonuses. (ANI)