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Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Obama administration had no choice but to order the shutdown of the prison at Guantanamo because "the name itself is a condemnation" of U.S. anti-terrorism strategy. Gates called the facility on the island of Cuba "probably one of the finest prisons in the world today." But at the same time, he said it had become "a taint" on the reputation of America.

In dramatic, back-to-back speeches, the president repudiated the Bush administration for choosing "expedience" over the rule of law. The former VP, meanwhile, warned that Obama's efforts to find "middle ground" would leave the country exposed to attack.

In a speech Thursday, President Obama defended his decision to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, describing the situation there as "a mess; a misguided experiment that has left in its wake a flood of legal challenges." Obama also spoke about American values and said his national security policies represent a new direction.

The partisan divide over how to secure the nation's safety — and what was done in America's name after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 — intensified Thursday with dramatic, back-to-back televised speeches by President Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

At the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, there is little outward indication of the turmoil swirling around Washington about its future. But guards say detainees keep asking whether the camp is going to close — a goal President Obama is facing growing opposition on.

The rhetoric over harsh interrogation tactics — and clamor for disclosure and inquiry — are intensifying. President Obama is being urged to step in and name an independent panel to examine what went wrong in the Bush Justice Department.

One of the troops' favorite pastimes in the combat zone is watching the science fiction show Battlestar Galactica, says Capt. Nate Rawlings. As he prepares to leave the Army, watching the finale helps it all seem real.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran test-fired a new advanced missile Wednesday with a range of about 1,200 miles, far enough to strike Israel and southeastern Europe.

Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, says his country is determined to win its war with the Taliban. Haqqani tells Steve Inskeep that international aid is needed to lure displaced civilians away from militant aid groups. He pledged that the aid money will not free up Pakistan's government to spend its own money on an expanded nuclear arsenal.

As part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants, Italian naval vessels are towing back to Libya boatloads of migrants intercepted at sea. The United Nation's High Commissioner for Refugees accuses Italy of violating international conventions. Meanwhile, the Italian government is pushing through parliament a law that makes illegal immigration a crime.