Email recommending delaying the release of prisoners on public relations grounds

This is a February 17, 2006 email message from the political advisor of the U.S. Transportation Command (or POLAD USTRANSCOM) to General Norton Schwartz, then Commander of US Transportation Command. It recommends the need to delay the release of Guantanamo prisoners in order to avoid the heroes' welcome they would receive on account of the recent United Nation's critical assessment of Guantanamo.

From: [REDACTED] POLAD USTRANSCOM CC
Sent: Friday, Febriuary 17, 2006 7:04 AM
To: Schwartz, Norton Gen USTRANSCOM CC
Cc: Selva, Paul Brig Gen USTRANSCOM J3; Dail, Robert LTG USTRANSCOM DC; Cooper, Anthony CAPT USTRANSCOM PA; [REDACTED] USTRANSCOM J3
Subject: Guantanamo Gets Worse

Sir:

We may need to definitely think about checking with Southcom [Southern Command] to see if we can hold off on return flights for 45 days or so until things die down. Otherwise we are likely to have heroes' welcomes awaiting the detainees when they arrive, and we will have problems getting overflght and landing clearance for the flights anyway. It would probably be preferable if we could deliver these detainees in something smaller and more discreet than a T tail.

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