Obama goal of Gitmo closure stalled at Pentagon

WASHINGTON - The transfer of prisoners out of Guantanamo Bay has ground to a halt amid a slow Pentagon approval process, causing deep frustration within the administration and raising doubts that President Barack Obama will be able to fulfill his campaign promise to close the prison for terrorism suspects at the US Navy base in Cuba.

A detainee sent back to his native Algeria in March is the only prisoner to have moved out this year, beyond the controversial exchange of five Taliban members in return for long-held captive US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan.