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AP Photo Sanders praises Gitmo plan, takes shot at Clinton

Bernie Sanders praised President Barack Obama's proposal to shut down the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday, while attacking the voting record of Hillary Clinton, his former Senate colleague, in the process.

"I am encouraged to see that the president is sending Congress a plan to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison. As I have said for years, the prison at Guantanamo must be closed as quickly as possible," Sanders said in a statement released through his campaign. "Others, including my opponent, have not always agreed with me."

The statement goes on to note that in 2007, Sanders was one of only three senators who voted against barring the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to U.S. soil. Clinton herself co-sponsored legislation in 2007 to close the facility and transfer detainees to the U.S. facilities, to international tribunals or to other countries, voting with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on a separate non-binding resolution that would prohibit detainees from being "released into American society."

As for Sanders, in 2009 he joined with 89 other senators to reject Obama's funding request to close the facility until the administration gave more specifics. A spokesman for Sanders did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While the plan announced Tuesday does not name any specific locations, Pentagon officials have evaluated sites in Kansas, Colorado and in South Carolina.

Clinton weighed in later Tuesday.

“I support President Obama’s plan today to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and finally close the door on this chapter of our history. Over the years, Guantanamo has inspired more terrorists than it has imprisoned. It has not strengthened our national security; it has damaged it,” Clinton said in a statement.

In the statement Clinton goes on to say that she’s supported Guantanamo’s closure since she was a senator and said that she worked on it as secretary of state.

“As President Obama's Secretary of State, I appointed a special envoy and worked with our friends and partners around the world to repatriate or resettle prisoners, with all appropriate monitoring and security,” Clinton said. “Closing Guantanamo would be a sign of strength and resolve. Congress should implement President Obama’s plan as quickly and responsibly as possible."