It's just how political polarization works in the US. Nothing changed in Iraq until the actual pullout a free years after he took office, and Obama ramped up t

It's just how political polarization works in the US. Nothing changed in Iraq until the actual pullout a free years after he took office, and Obama ramped up the war in Afghanistan and over Pakistan, but the anti-war movement here shut down the moment he took office. The "they won't let him shut down Gitmo" business is exactly the same thing. It's just a rallying cry, and strictly one to rally around the president with, not to try to accomplish change with. Hence the literalism - it's not about humane treatment of prisoners, human rights, or anything like that. It's about that one base in Cuba. It's just excusing a failed campaign promise.