Officials struggling with Gitmo deadline

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. government officials say they are struggling to meet the Jan. 22 deadline for closing the Guantanamo Bay military prison.

The Washington Post reported Friday while top advisers of U.S. President Barack Obama supported the call for closing the military prison in Cuba in early 2010, the White House is attempting to recover from missteps with only four months remaining.

More than 200 terrorism suspects are still at the Guantanamo facility and government officials' efforts to find new locations for them are are complicated by diplomatic, legal and political issues.

Two senior administration officials said due to the missteps in recent months, White House Counsel Gregory B. Craig was replaced as head of the project by top adviser Pete Rouse in May.

To help in the government's attempt to close the Cuban facility and transfers Guantanamo detainees, the government also brought in Dan Pfeiffer, deputy communications director for Obama, and senior adviser David Axelrod.

While Craig admitted Thursday the Guantanamo closure plans were hindered by early miscalculations, Pfeiffer told the Post the project is now on a "strong course."

"It was never going to be easy, but we have worked through some of the early challenges and are on a strong course," Pfeiffer said.