During an appearance at MSNBC’s This Week, President-Elect Barack Obama said he would most likely not be able to close Guantanamo Bay in his first 100 days in office, this despite promises to do so during the campaign.

“I think it’s going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak to help design exactly what we need to do,” Obama said. “It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize,” the President-elect explained. “Part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom who may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication. And some of the evidence against them may be tainted even though it’s true. And so how to balance creating a process that adheres to rule of law, habeas corpus, basic principles of Anglo American legal system, by doing it in a way that doesn’t result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up.”

Although many, not just American liberals but also moderates, Independents and foreigners of all stripes, want ‘Gitmo’ sooner rather than later, Obama cannot simply close the prison camp where hundreds of suspected terrorists are held without taking care of some basic issues. What will, for instance, happen to the prisoners? Will they be released? If so, to where? To the country where they were arrested or to their own country (not necessarily the same)? What if the countries involved do not want to accept the suspects out of fear that they are indeed extremists? Should the U.S. accept them then? And others again whom ample evidence exists of terrorist activities, what should happen to them? Should they simply be relocated to an American prison? If so, how should they be treated and what rights exactly should they receive?

Guantanamo Bay has done tremendous damage to America’s image in the world. It gave many foreigners the impression that all the talk about democracy, freedom and rights was just that; talk, at least when it came to foreigners. Closing the prison camp would greatly improve America’s image abroad; Obama will instantly be hailed as a reformer and honest leader who respects ‘the international community.’ But America’s image will be hurt if closing Gitmo results in massive problems; just like a premature withdrawal from Iraq would do.

America made itself responsible for Gitmo prisoners. If releasing them would result in one or a few of them carrying out a terrorist attacks a year or two later, Obama will rather obviously (and perhaps rightfully) be blamed. As with so many problems he inherits from George W. Bush, one wrong decision may have terrible consequences. Obama’s warning, that he will not be able to close Gitmo in his first 100 days in office, gives me the impression that he fully understands the responsibility that comes with being president of the most powerful country on earth and that this sometimes means one has to compromise on one’s basic principles.

We will see whether he truly understands this in the months and years ahead; reports that he may be willing to hold direct talks with Hamas contradict it.