In the United States, Congress controls the so called "purse strings." The House, where all spending bills must originate under the US Constitution, passed a bill denying any funds being used toward the closing of Guantanamo or the relocation of the prisoners. This has been happening yearly in the National Defense Authorization Act since Obama took office.
So Mr. Obama's hands are, in fact, tied, by law from "issu[ing] orders to soldiers in charge of a military facility."
This does not, of course, preclude him from using the so called "bully pulpit" to make a case to the American people. He also could take the more drastic measure of vetoing the NDAA, but he would then run the risk of leaving the military unfunded. The first option is plausible (and he has, on occasion, taken to discussing Guantanamo in his stump speeches around the time the NDAA is moving through the lower chamber), the second would be an incalculable political risk.
So Mr. Obama's hands are, in fact, tied, by law from "issu[ing] orders to soldiers in charge of a military facility."
This does not, of course, preclude him from using the so called "bully pulpit" to make a case to the American people. He also could take the more drastic measure of vetoing the NDAA, but he would then run the risk of leaving the military unfunded. The first option is plausible (and he has, on occasion, taken to discussing Guantanamo in his stump speeches around the time the NDAA is moving through the lower chamber), the second would be an incalculable political risk.