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70-521: The Pacific Council is “committed to building the capacity of Los Angeles and California for impact on global issues, discourse, and policy.” The Council connects a network of people from different industries to engage in foreign policy discourse and effect change on international issues. The Council convenes virtual and in-person events, roundtable discussions, and international delegations, and provides thoughtful foreign policy analysis and commentary in its online Magazine. Duncan Wood, PhD currently serves as

140-703: A bachelor's degree . She studied her junior year at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Bell's television career began in 1991 at Bell-Phillip Television Productions , the production company for the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful . Bell served in various roles for the show, including script supervisor and director of special projects. After leaving the show in 2000, Bell returned several years later as special projects director, and in 2011 led

210-716: A fundraiser for Obama at their home along with actor Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin . Bell also sits on the Board of Directors at the Atlantic Council , the Pacific Council on International Policy , and the Board of Advisors of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and the USC Center on Public Diplomacy . On November 6, 2013, President Obama nominated Bell to succeed Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis as ambassador to Hungary . Bell

280-629: A 52-42 vote on December 2, 2014, and she was sworn in on December 16, 2014. On January 19, 2015, Bell arrived in Budapest, ending the 18-month absence of an American ambassador which had existed since Kounalakis departed in July 2013. Bell presented her credentials to President János Áder of Hungary on January 21, 2015. In February 2015, Bell signed an agreement that, pending ratification by both countries' legislatures, would end dual taxation of U.S. and Hungarian citizens. Speaking at an event held by

350-456: A U.S. Flag Ocean Carrier. Schuyler Line operates under government contract to supply sustainment and building supplies to the base. There are two airfields within the base, Leeward Point Field and McCalla Field. Leeward Point Field is the active military airfield, with the ICAO code MUGM and IATA code NBW. McCalla Field was designated as the auxiliary landing field in 1970s, but was no longer

420-555: A delegation from the Leadership Council, a Los Angeles County environmental issues group. Bell's public service includes initiatives in child abuse prevention, crime victim counseling and care, public health awareness, art accessibility and empowering women. In 2021, she joined Madelaine Albright and Governor Gretchen Whitmer at the National Democratic Institute in a campaign to mobilize

490-531: A naval base at Guantanamo Bay was granted to the United States the following year. The 1903 lease agreement, which has no fixed expiration date, was executed in two parts. The first, signed in February, consisted of the following provisions: The second part, signed five months later in July 1903, consisted of the following provisions: SIGNED Theodore Roosevelt and Jose M Garcia Montes. In 1934,

560-449: A number of influential speakers, including former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton , John Kerry , and Condoleezza Rice , former President George W. Bush , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , former CIA Director Leon Panetta , General James Mattis , Dr. Joseph S. Nye , foreign dignitaries, U.S. ambassadors , members of Congress , and foreign policy experts, among others. The Pacific Council encourages thoughtful dialogue on

630-509: A project to overhaul and update all the fashion on the show, a critical aspect of production because the plot focuses on two rival fashion houses . Bell became a full producer in 2012. As producer, Bell has received three Daytime Emmy Award nominations when The Bold and the Beautiful was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series in 2013 , 2014 and 2015 . Bell is active in issues advocacy and philanthropy. In 2007, she met with then-Senator Barbara Boxer about global warming as part of

700-680: A result of injuries received during the sinking of his ship the SS Delmundo by the German submarine U-600 on 13 August 1942. Windward Point contains most of the activities at the Naval Station. There are nine beaches available to base personnel. The highest point on the base is John Paul Jones Hill (named after the Revolutionary War hero of the same name ) at a total of 495 feet (151 m). The geography of Windward Point

770-464: A viable airfield by the 1990s. Leeward Point Field was constructed with a 6,000-foot main runway in 1943; the runway was extended in 1953 to 8,000 feet to accommodate jet aircraft. Leeward Point Field has a single active runway, 10/28, measuring 8,000 ft (2,400 m). The former runway, 9/27 was 8,500 ft (2,600 m). Currently, Leeward Point Field operates several aircraft and helicopters supporting base operations. Leeward Point Field

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840-1017: A wide variety of international issues, but focuses on areas where it is poised to have impact both locally and globally. Examples of the Council’s programs are the Mexico Initiative, and the Guantánamo Bay Observer Program. Members often travel abroad on Pacific Council delegations, during which members meet with government officials and business leaders. Previous destinations include Mexico , North Korea , Cuba , Iraq , Afghanistan , South Sudan , Guatemala , China , and France , among many others. The Pacific Council also organizes task forces to address international policy issues and make policy recommendations. Its U.S.- Mexico Border Security Task Force, led by former DEA Administrator and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner , recommended that

910-764: Is a part of the Guantánamo Bay Observer Program. Since 2013, the Pacific Council has held official NGO observer status at GTMO , allowing Pacific Council member experts to observe proceedings at GTMO and report back to the Council. Recommendations made by the Council's GTMO Task Force were included in the FY2018 Defense Bill by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). The Pacific Council has released numerous reports surrounding issues in foreign affairs and public diplomacy . Some of

980-505: Is such that there are many coves and peninsulas along the bay shoreline providing ideal areas for mooring ships. According to Stephen Benz, Stephen Crane described the area as "craggy" and "cut with ravines." He also described the coastline as covered in ridges and "chalky cliffs". The area surrounding Guantanamo Bay was originally inhabited by the Taíno people . On 30 April 1494, Christopher Columbus , on his second voyage, arrived and spent

1050-597: The American Chamber of Commerce that month, Bell told a forum that transparency and predictability regarding Hungarian business laws and regulations are needed to attract U.S. investors to the country. Also in February, Bell spoke in support of Ukrainian sovereignty during the ongoing conflict between Ukraine, which is Hungary's northeastern neighbor, and Russia . Bell's comments in support of Ukraine were notable because her remarks to diplomats from NATO member states came as Russian President Vladimir Putin

1120-786: The Bamboo Curtain in East Asia, and the similar Ice Curtain in the Bering Strait . After the Cuban Revolution , some Cubans sought refuge on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. In late 1961, Cuban troops planted an 8-mile (13 km) long, 10-foot (3.0 m) wide barrier of Opuntia (prickly pear) cactus along the northeastern section of the 17-mile (27 km) fence surrounding the base in order to prevent checkpoint evasion when moving between

1190-616: The Children's Institute Inc. Bell is also active in the Democratic Party , and served as an at-large delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina . As a " bundler ", Bell helped raise more than $ 2.1 million for Obama's 2012 presidential campaign . In February 2012, Bell and her husband, The Bold and the Beautiful executive producer and head writer Bradley Phillip Bell , hosted

1260-541: The Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro claimed that this check was deposited due to confusion in 1959. The Cuban government has not deposited any other lease check since that time. The Naval Base became a prime area for winter training for the Atlantic fleet. Due to the large increase in population during the training months, the Naval Base quickly established facilities to support everyday functions. Construction of

1330-499: The Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. GTMO Guantanamo Bay Naval Base ( Spanish : Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo ), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB , (also called GTMO , pronounced Gitmo / ˈ ɡ ɪ t m oʊ / GIT -moh as jargon by members of the U.S. military ) is a United States military base located on 45 square miles (117 km ) of land and water on

1400-671: The Monongahela , is on display near the Bay View Club on the Naval Station. By 2006, only two elderly Cubans, Luis Delarosa and Harry Henry, still crossed the base's North East Gate daily to work on the base, because the Cuban government prohibited new recruitment since 1959. They both retired at the end of 2012. At the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2013, Cuba's Foreign Minister demanded

1470-741: The Times Mirror Co. and founding board chairman of the Pacific Council; former Secretary of State Warren Christopher , who followed Erburu as board co-chair; John Bryson , who served as co-chair with Christopher and later chair of the Pacific Council Board before his appointment as U.S. Secretary of Commerce ; former Utah governor and U.S. Ambassador to China Jon M. Huntsman ; and former Congressman and House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier . The Pacific Council works with member experts and task forces to host conferences, events, and travel delegations. The Council has hosted

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1540-528: The Treaty of Paris of 1898 , in which Spain formally relinquished control of Cuba. Although the war was over, the United States maintained a strong military presence on the island. In 1901 the United States government passed the Platt Amendment as part of an Army Appropriations Bill. Section VII of this amendment read That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect

1610-581: The "Geneva Conventions applied to the Taliban detainees, but not to members of Al-Qaeda terrorist organization." On 10 June 2006, the Department of Defense reported that three Guantanamo Bay detainees took their own lives . The military reported the men hanged themselves with nooses made of sheets and clothes. A study published by Seton Hall Law's Center for Policy and Research, while making no conclusions regarding what actually transpired, asserts that

1680-536: The Council's previous reports include: Colleen Bell Colleen Bell ( née Colleen Clark Bradley; January 30, 1967) is an American television producer known for her work on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful and for her involvement in various social issues. She was appointed Director of the California Film Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom on May 23, 2019, to manage

1750-518: The Cuban communist government has consistently protested against the U.S. presence on Cuban soil, arguing that the base was imposed on Cuba by force and is illegal under international law. Since 2002, the naval base has contained a military prison , for alleged unlawful combatants captured in Afghanistan , Iraq , and other places during the War on Terror . Cases of alleged torture of prisoners by

1820-437: The Cuban government stopped the flow. The base had about 14 million U.S. gal (50,000 m ) of water in storage, and strict water conservation was put into effect immediately. The U.S. first imported water from Jamaica by barge, then relocated a desalination plant from San Diego ( Point Loma ). When the Cuban government accused the United States of "stealing water", base commander John D. Bulkeley ordered that

1890-905: The Dr. Iván Völgyes Award for business promotion from the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary along with the Hungarian ambassador to the U.S. Réka Szemerkényi . Ambassador Bell served until January 20, 2017, as the United States Ambassador to Hungary. On October 4, 1991, Bell married Bradley Phillip Bell, the son of Lee Phillip Bell and William J. Bell , at St. Athanasius Roman Catholic Church in Evanston, Illinois . Together they have four children, daughters Charlotte and Caroline, and sons Chasen and Oliver, and live in

1960-561: The Guantanamo Bay fleet range system began as early as 1905 under Captain Rogers. Four primary ranges were built during its construction: Range Alpha, Range Beta, Range Charlie, and Range Delta. Due to the size of the base, sections were shut down in order for range operations to proceed. Ironically, the concrete range system's size and cost led to its downfall. Strong evidence suggests the fleet ranges were used throughout World War I and

2030-494: The Hungarian government, non-governmental organizations and the public on the migrant issue. According to Bell, in addition to information sharing and logistical help, her office gave direct aid to organizations such as the Hungarian Red Cross. While acknowledging that Hungary's sovereignty allows it to choose how to secure its borders, she stated that the U.S. "promote[s] the humane treatment of refugees". She

2100-699: The Naval Station is the site of the active airfield. Major geographical features on Leeward Point include Mohomilla Bay and the Guantánamo River . Three beaches exist on the Leeward side. Two are available for use by base residents, while the third, Hicacal Beach, is closed. Nearby is the US Naval Cemetery at Guantanamo Bay, also known as Cuzco Wells Cemetery. The cemetery holds over 350 burials including that of Captain Henry Smith who died as

2170-478: The Pacific Council's president and CEO. Richard Goetz, Partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP, and Robert Lovelace, Vice Chairman at Capital Group Companies, are co-chairs of the Board of Directors, which also includes Ambassador Colleen Bell , Antonia Hernández, and Mel Levine , among others. Abraham F. Lowenthal was the founding president of the Pacific Council. Prominent members of the Pacific Council Board of Directors have included Robert F. Erburu, former chairman of

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2240-509: The U.S. Congress and the Obama administration renew a ban on assault weapons, and the task force released a "report card" assessing progress made on previous recommendations. The Council's Climate Change Adaptation Task Force recommended that the state of California create a Climate Risk Council and reported the potential effects of climate change on the California coast. One task force

2310-553: The U.S. and Hungary. She also expressed concern over recent, potentially unfavorable developments in Hungary, including government corruption, a decline in press freedoms, and negative stereotypes with regard to refugees from Syria. Bell was awarded the Middle Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit for her work in strengthening the bilateral relationship between Hungary and the United States. In 2016, she also received

2380-607: The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, started in response to the September 11 attacks , a small portion of the base was used to detain several hundred individuals with ties or suspected ties to Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Taliban . These detainees were not afforded POW status or facing formal charges but instead designated enemy combatants ; assigned to confinement in Camp Delta , Camp Echo , Camp Iguana , and

2450-694: The U.S. military, and their denial of protection under the Geneva Conventions , have been criticized. The base has been a focal point for debates over civil liberties , notably influenced by the landmark 2008 Supreme Court decision in Boumediene v. Bush . This ruling affirmed the constitutional right of detainees to challenge their detention through habeas corpus , highlighting the ongoing tensions between national security measures and fundamental civil liberties. The 1903 lease has no fixed expiration date; as such, it could only be ended if

2520-485: The U.S. return the base. The military facility has over 8,500 U.S. sailors and Marines stationed there. It is the only military base the U.S. maintains in a socialist country . In 2005, the U.S. Navy completed a $ 12 million wind-power project at the base, erecting four 950 kilowatt, 275-foot tall (84 m) wind turbines , reducing the reliance on diesel fuel to power the existing diesel generators (the base's primary electricity generation ). In 2006,

2590-588: The US Navy decided to abandon the area or both countries agreed mutually to end the lease. The Naval Base occupies three main geographical sections: Leeward Point, Windward Point, and Guantánamo Bay . Guantánamo Bay physically divides the Naval Station into sections. The bay extends past the boundaries of the base into Cuba, where the bay is then referred to as Bahía de Guantánamo. Guantánamo Bay contains several cays , which are identified as Hospital Cay, Medico Cay, North Toro Cay, and South Toro Cay. Leeward Point of

2660-529: The United States unilaterally changed the payment from gold coin to U.S. dollars per the Gold Reserve Act . The lease amount was set at US$ 3,386.25, based on the price of gold at the time. In 1973, the U.S. adjusted the lease amount to $ 3,676.50, and in 1974 to $ 4,085, based on further increases to the price of gold in USD. Payments have been sent annually, but only one lease payment has been accepted since

2730-411: The United States' strategic interests in Hungary". When asked during questioning about American interests in the nation, Bell "stumbled and stammered", replying "the security relationship and also the law enforcement and to promote business opportunities, um, increase trade, um". Senator Barbara Boxer supported Bell, noting her intelligence and ability to "make friends". The Senate confirmed Bell in

2800-590: The adjustments being made to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld . In January 2009, President Obama signed an executive order directing the closing of the Guantánamo detention camp within a year. This plan was thwarted for the time being on 20 May 2009, when the United States Senate voted to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open for the foreseeable future and forbid

2870-567: The area after an attempt to march to Santiago de Cuba was repulsed by Spanish troops . During the Spanish–American War, the U.S. fleet attacking Santiago secured Guantánamo 's harbor for protection during the hurricane season of 1898 . The Marines landed at Guantanamo Bay with naval support, and American and Cuban forces routed the defending Spanish troops. There is a monument on McCalla Hill to one Navy officer and five Marines who died in battle at Guantanamo Bay. The war ended with

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2940-443: The base and Cuba proper. The curtain forms part of a " no man's land " that encircles the base. This area is complete with perimeter patrols, outposts featuring sandbags, and watchtowers, and has been complemented with barbed wire fences, minefields, and cacti. Apart from the cacti, both U.S. and Cuban troops erected, maintained, and otherwise manned these defenses, primarily to prevent checkpoint evasion and possible invasion from

3010-410: The base to jobs within it. In mid-1958, vehicular traffic was stopped; workers were required to walk through the base's several gates. Public Works Center buses were pressed into service almost overnight to carry the tides of workers to and from the gate. The "Cactus Curtain" is a term describing the line separating the naval base from Cuban-controlled territory, an allusion to Europe's Iron Curtain ,

3080-496: The base. Several old guns from the USS Monongahela (1862) have been salvaged and placed around the base. The old warship served as a storeship at Guantanamo until destroyed by fire on 17 March 1908. A 4-inch (100 mm) gun was salvaged from her wreck and put on display at the Naval Station. Since the gun was deformed by the heat from the fire, it was nicknamed "Old Droopy". A similar gun, possibly also salvaged from

3150-721: The beginning of World War II. During World War II , the base was set up to use a nondescript number for postal operations. The base used the Fleet Post Office , Atlantic, in New York City , with the address: 115 FPO NY. The base was also an important intermediate distribution point for merchant shipping convoys from New York City and Key West, Florida , to the Panama Canal and the islands of Puerto Rico , Jamaica , and Trinidad and Tobago . From 1953 to 1959, thousands of Cubans commuted daily from outside

3220-518: The crisis was resolved, family members were allowed to return to the base in December 1962. From 1939, the base's water was supplied by pipelines that drew water from the Yateras River about 4.5 miles (7 km) northeast of the base. The U.S. government paid a fee for this; in 1964, it was about $ 14,000 a month for about 2.5 million U.S. gal (9,000 m ) per day. In 1964,

3290-559: The deaths of at least 10 people, including as the result of engineering accidents and late-night partygoers. On 16 May 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered the demining of the American field. They have since been replaced with motion and sound sensors to detect intruders on the base. The Cuban government has not removed its corresponding minefield outside the perimeter. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962,

3360-482: The duration of the visit. Besides servicemembers, the base houses a large number of civilian contractors working for the military. Many of these contractors are migrant workers from Jamaica and the Philippines , and are thought to constitute up to 40% of the base's population. Major contractors working at NSGB have included the following: Ocean transportation is provided by Schuyler Line Navigation Company,

3430-458: The families of military personnel were evacuated from the base. Notified of the evacuation on 22 October, evacuees were told to pack one suitcase per family member, to bring evacuation and immunization cards, to tie pets in the yard, to leave the keys to the house on the dining table, and to wait in front of the house for buses. Dependents travelled to the airfield for flights to the United States, or to ports for passage aboard evacuation ships. After

3500-423: The former airfield. The area formerly consisted of three runways, all now closed: 1/19 at 4,500 ft (1,400 m), 14/32 at 2,210 ft (670 m), and 10/28 at 1,850 ft (560 m). The former airfield resides at an elevation of 60 ft (18 m) above mean sea level . Beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century, the base was used to house Cuban and Haitian refugees intercepted on

3570-454: The high seas. In the early 1990s, it held refugees who fled Haiti after military forces overthrew president Jean-Bertrand Aristide . These refugees were held in a detainment area called Camp Bulkeley until United States district court Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr. declared the camp unconstitutional on 8 June 1993. This decision was later vacated . The last Haitian migrants departed Guantanamo on 1 November 1995. Beginning in 2002, following

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3640-781: The international community to end violence against women in politics. In 2010, Bell was named to President Barack Obama 's Advisory Committee on the Arts, and in 2011 she was elected chairperson. Obama appointed Bell to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Board of Trustees in 2012. Additionally, Bell has served as a trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art , the Los Angeles Music Center , and as vice chairperson of

3710-560: The military investigation failed to address significant issues detailed in that report. On 6 September 2006, President George W. Bush announced that alleged or non-alleged combatants held by the CIA would be transferred to the custody of Department of Defense, and held at Guantanamo Prison. Of approximately 500 prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, only 10 have been tried by the Guantanamo military commission , but all cases have been stayed pending

3780-431: The night. The place where Columbus landed is now known as Fisherman's Point. Columbus declared the bay Puerto Grande . The bay and surrounding areas briefly came under British control during the War of Jenkins' Ear . Prior to the outbreak of the conflict, the bay was referred to as Walthenham Harbor by British cartographers. The British expeditionary force renamed the bay Cumberland Bay . They eventually retreated from

3850-503: The now-closed Camp X-Ray . In litigation regarding the availability of fundamental rights to those imprisoned at the base, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that the detainees "have been imprisoned in territory over which the United States exercises exclusive jurisdiction and control." Therefore, the detainees have the fundamental right to due process of law under the Fifth Amendment . A district court has since held that

3920-669: The other side. U.S. and Cuban troops placed some 55,000 anti-personnel and anti-tank land mines across the "no man's land" around the perimeter of the naval base, creating the second-largest minefield in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Initially, the mines were laid down by US troops, who also laid down signs stating that the landmines were "precautions" and should not be viewed as "aggressive". In response, Cuban troops also laid down their own mines, with both sides completing their minefields in 1961. Between 1961 and 1965, landmine explosions resulted in

3990-462: The people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States. After initial resistance by the Cuban Constitutional Convention, the Platt Amendment was incorporated into the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba in 1901. The Constitution took effect in 1902, and land for

4060-426: The pipelines be cut and a section removed. A 38 in (97 cm) length of the 14 in (36 cm) diameter pipe and a 20 in (51 cm) length of the 10 in (25 cm) diameter pipe were lifted from the ground and the openings sealed. During the 1960s and 1970s, the base had problems with alcohol and racial tension. Harassment and strip searches also became a regular occurrence for Cuban workers on

4130-412: The refugee camps were dismantled and the area became a collection of abandoned buildings. McCalla Field is now listed as a closed airfield. The USN aviation assets are now located across the bay at Leeward Point Field , about 1.5 miles to the west. After the events of September 11 , the area was reevaluated as a possible location for a detention facility. Camp Justice is now located on the grounds of

4200-418: The shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba . It has been leased to the United States with no end date since 1903 as a coaling station and naval base , making it the oldest overseas U.S. naval base. The lease was $ 2,000 in gold per year until 1934, when the payment was set to match the value of gold in dollars ; in 1974, the yearly lease was set to $ 4,085. Since taking power in 1959 ,

4270-526: The state's tax credit program, increase the representation of women and minorities, and promote California as a production locale. She was appointed United States Ambassador to Hungary by United States President Barack Obama and took office on January 21, 2015. Bell (née Bradley) was born in 1967 in Evanston, Illinois , to Sheila, an interior designer, and Edward Bradley, a lawyer. Bell studied economics and political science at Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Virginia , and graduated in 1989 with

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4340-489: The transfer of any detainees to facilities in the United States. Senator Daniel Inouye , a Democrat from Hawaii and chairman of the appropriations committee, said he favored keeping Guantanamo open until Obama produced a "coherent plan for closing the prison." Consequently, Obama decided to postpone difficult decisions on the details for at least six months. On 7 March 2011, Obama issued a new executive order permitting indefinite detention of Guantánamo detainees. This decision

4410-403: The wind turbines reduced diesel fuel consumption by 650,000 U.S. gallons (2.5 million liters) annually. Access to the Naval Station is very limited and must be pre-approved through the appropriate local chain of command with the Commander of the station as the final approval. Since berthing facilities are limited, visitors must be sponsored indicating that they have an approved residence for

4480-488: Was also critical of Hungarian media's "anti-immigration rhetoric", stating that it "doesn't represent the Hungarian people". In October 2015, Bell spoke at Corvinus University of Budapest and praised Hungary's efforts to support Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. In addition, she expressed appreciation for Hungary's partnership with the United States and its allies in the areas of counter-terrorism and law enforcement and called for greater economic cooperation between

4550-409: Was codified into federal law by provision added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 . In early February 2021, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden declared his intention to shut down the facility before he leaves office. In July 2021, an additional detainee was released. In June 2022, an Afghan prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay for about 15 years without trial

4620-401: Was expanded in 1941 when the original grass runway was replaced. Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay was officially established 1 February 1941. Aircraft routinely operating out of McCalla included JRF-5 , N3N , J2F , C-1 Trader , and dirigibles. The airfield was deactivated in the 1970s and was used to house Cuban and Haitian refugees beginning in the 1990s. Sometime between 1996 and 2001,

4690-400: Was home to Fleet Composite Squadron 10 ( VC-10 ) until the unit was phased out in 1993. VC-10 was one of the last active-duty squadrons flying the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk . McCalla Field was established in 1931 and remained operational until 1970. The airfield was named for Bowman H. McCalla , who was a United States Navy admiral in charge of the Battle of Guantánamo Bay . The current field

4760-426: Was one of three ambassadorial nominees who, according to The Washington Post , came to "symbolize the problems with giving plum overseas diplomatic assignments to big political donors". Senator John McCain questioned Bell's lack of diplomatic experience and knowledge of Hungary. In an article for Politico , James Bruno, a former U.S. career foreign service officer, noted that Bell "could not answer questions about

4830-455: Was released. In February 2023, three prisoners were released from Guantanamo Bay. Majid Khan , who pled guilty before a Military Commission in 2012, had completed his sentence of 10 years, and was released to Belize . Brothers Abdul Al-Rahim Ghulam Rabbani and Mohammed Ahmad Ghulam Rabbani , whose detentions were deemed no longer necessary in order to protect the United States from a national security threat, were released and repatriated to

4900-458: Was visiting Budapest. As the European migrant crisis unfolded in 2015, with people from Syria fleeing that country's Syrian Civil War , Hungary saw the largest spike of migrants per capita from January to June. By October 2015, Hungary had responded by blocking its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia to prevent the influx of migrants. Bell spoke to the press on September 30, stating that her embassy staff had been in regular contact with

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