• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, May 19, 2016

In February, Barack Obama promised again to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, returning to the unfulfilled promise first made during his 2008 presidential campaign.

But the extra-territorial prison, which now holds fewer than 100 international terror suspects and detainees, isn’t going anywhere soon, if the establishment of its own local weekly news publication is any indication.

Billed as “The Official Publication of Joint Task Force Guantanamo,” “The Wire” recently published its seventh issue, delivering community and professional news to military personnel and their families living on the base. Altogether, they  total around 5,800 people, according to the Department of Defense

Base personnel include Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force employees.

Typical coverage as reflected in the most recent issue includes a cover story on preparing for hurricane season, coverage of a special Coast Guard training session, advice on managing stress, how to make long-distance marriages work, a photo feature on the “Color Me GTMO Run,” and a piece highlighting a new community cactus garden.

There is also a thoughtful piece by the base’s “strategic cultural consultant” on the uses and misuses of terms applied to Islamist terrorists, like “jihadist,” which may unwittingly grant them more credibility, or play into their hands by demonizing Islam itself.

While critics have painted the indefinite detention of terror suspects without charge as unconstitutional, as well as a violation of human rights, continuing concern about international terrorism suggests that Guantanamo (or some similar site) will continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

On that note, thousands of military personnel will also continue to serve in relative isolation – but a local publication can help counteract some of the negative psychological effects by fostering a sense of community.

By the same token, there are probably worse places to serve than Guantanamo. The Department of Defense profile notes: “The base is in the Caribbean and has an excellent climate, a relatively short rainy season, and beaches with swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, and boating opportunities.”