Figuring out where to place prisoners now being held at Guantanamo Bay could be a legal nightmare when Gitmo closes; but the political obstacles could be even more tricky. Thanks to the high profile nature of the prisoners, as well as their characterizations (exaggerated or not) as the most dangerous people in the world, it will be hard to convince cities or towns to keep the prisoners within their limits.
One Republican, Florida Congressman Bill Young, came up with a creative location — Alcatraz! Unfortunately, the island in the San Francisco Bay, which was once an infamous US prison, is now a money-making tourist destination.
When it comes to actual functioning maximum security prisons on US soil, Democratic Pennsylvania Representative John Murtha pointed out last week that “there are thousands of dangerous prisoners being held securely behind bars in supermax prisons across the United States." In fact, Murtha said he would be willing to accept the suspected terrorists in his district. The invitation has some local officials excited about the job and revenue potential, since a maximum security prison would have to be built first.
Would you protest if Guantanamo Bay prisoners came to a prison near you?
Emilio Pucci
I think all the celebrities and politicians who are so concerned for these detainees rights should just put them up in their houses, If torture doesnt work to get information I am sure that a cozy bed in bev hills and some starbucks will do the job.
1I dont think if you asked the residents of Murtha's district that they would say they are excited about the revenue coming from harboring terrorists.
If you follow this link: wpxi.com/surveyresults/18538985/detail.html?section=news&questionum=1&answer1=2
It leads you to a local PA newstation who has a survey up to which 85% of the respondents said they wouldn't want the terrorists living in their area.
Thats the beauty of this decision, we'll be seeing a whole lot of NIMBY and I can't wait to heaar the excuses!
2“there are thousands of dangerous prisoners being held securely behind bars in supermax prisons across the United States."
Thats an interesting statement. I wonder how many of those prisoners are backed up by an international terror organization hell bent on killing the Western way of life even if it means sacrificings the lives of their own women, children, or themselves.
If there is anyone from PA, Murtha's district, who can tell me why he keeps getting elected I'd really love to know because I don't see anything redeeming about this yahoo.
3I wouldn't have a problem with these prisoners being in my district at all, our corrections officers do a great job and the other prisoners I'm sure would keep these suspected terrorists in line.
4Murtha is a great man, my grandparents live in his district and my mom works in his district (all hard core Republicans that like him). He is a decorated war vet and a very outspoken member of the House, he gets stuff done.
5Also my grandparents were especially happy that he was so outspoken in his opposition to the Iraq war. They are ultra Catholic and opposed to the war on religious grounds. Its a very conservative mostly Catholic district with many military families (my grandfather was an Army doctor) who respect him and what he does for veterans and service men.
6What he does for Vets and Service men?
Like declare them guilty before they even have a trial?
I don't know how any conservative can like him considering he likes to call them racists and rednecks.
7I don't think I would vote for anyone who called me a racist or a redneck.
8It's really too bad that people don't want alleged terror suspects housed anywhere near them -- but they should have thought of that when they sat back and allowed their president to arrest and remove the suspects from their home countries so that Americans could feel safe.
Justice and personal responsibility demand that we appropriately house these suspects until they can be properly tried. And they should be distributed among prisons across the country - everyone should share in whatever pain comes with correcting our own 'mistake'.
9"everyone should share in whatever pain comes with correcting our own 'mistake'"
In theory thats right, in practice... not gonna happen. Politicians are too concerned with their own re-election.
10Maybe we can move them to Bush's ranch in Crawford?
11I've been googling for the last 10 minutes and I cant seem to find any of the good things Murtha has done for veterans... do you have a link?
And I assume you don't count opposing the Iraq war as a good thing for veterans because thats up for discussion.
12sexy - Yea! Thats a great idea! I'm pretty sure Texas is one of those states where you can shoot someone dead for just coming on your property. This whole mess would be solved in less than a half hour!
13I just know my relatives opinion from dinner conversations, but you could go to www.vetsformurtha.org if you want some more information.
And a lot of people that live in that area don't see the word redneck as a bad thing. This is Jeff Foxworthy country.
14I agree with stephley they were taken out of their countries so people should get ready to house them in their super max jails an di am sure from watching lockdown on national geographic that the other prisoners will give them a lovely welcome
15ABSOLUTELY
16"It's really too bad that people don't want alleged terror suspects housed anywhere near them" Did you seriously say this???
Obama can let them go and when they kill innocent American civilians, he can have the blood on his hands.
"Obama can let them go and when they kill innocent American civilians, he can have the blood on his hands." Did you seriously say this? Obama has said nothing of letting them out to wander the streets of America. I think the blood is on the hands of his predecessor's.
17I must say that the idea of housing them on Alcatraz is a horrible idea. It is a national park and a tourist attraction.
18i don't think these prisoners are going to go door to door killing people hainan, nor do i think that they will be free to wonder the streets. It really annoys me that the same people who worry about innocent americans don't care about innocent iraqis, innocent being the key word.
19'Obama can let them go and when they kill innocent American civilians, he can have the blood on his hands. '
That's a pretty ridiculous and outlandish statement.
20Does Vets for Murtha load for you? Ive tried to load it twice now and nothing comes up. And when I search Vets for Murtha, I get nothing! wtf!
21I really annoys me when some people assume under an Obama adminstration all these terrorists with be set free. If people really believe that then the fear mongering of the far right is still alive and well.
22nya - I don't think anyone here has said they don't care about innocent Iraqis. Its not like the US goes on the streets of Iraq clipping people off or throwing random peopel in the back of trucks to go to Gitmo.
The people who are there are there for a reason, albeit a suspected reason. They could be innnocent, but they could be guilty. The outcomes of them being guilty and us being wrong in declaring their innocence is pretty dire. Let's not underestimate that.
23Maybe countries like the UK and Australia should be sharing the responsibility and cost for the relocation of the prisoners, perhaps starting with the 60 or so that have been cleared of all charges but can't return to their countries for fear of torture/execution?
24The website seems to be down, but if you wanted to learn more about Murtha, take a look at his endorsements. www.murtha.org/endorse
Some notables: Democrats for Life, VoteVets.org, and the NRA. If you go to the link you can see their specific endorsements.
25mydia - well, while i see your point, at the same time under an Obama admin much of, if not the majority of, evidence against these people will be inadmissiable making their trials more than likely to declare them innocent. Which means they will be released, and as we've seen with approx. 60 people who've been set free from Gitmo, they will return to their terror organization, sometimes even being promoted within the ranks.
26mydia - thanks for that link. while he does seem to be endorsed by many groups, many are partisan troop groups ie. Vote for Vets.... I'm sure Vets for Freedom (a right leaning vet group) has endorsed people too.
I was looking for something more tangible like a voting record or something he specifically endorsed or wrote himself.... I'll have to keep looking.
In the meantime I think my assesment of him is pretty dead on. But, I don't live in his district, maybe he's a great guy who can't control his mouth.
27'The outcomes of them being guilty and us being wrong in declaring their innocence is pretty dire. Let's not underestimate that. '
Right, and some are getting released because they were tortured to produce statements. What goes on at Gitmo and secret CIA camps, which Obama has said is no longer going to be tolerated as policy and by closing these facilities, is letting more terrorists go free.
28He has been endorsed by the VFW, the NRA (they give him an 'A' rating on voting record), and the pro-life movements. Those are all pretty conservative organizations.
29But honestly I can't imagine he's a great guy if his MO is to go around calling Marines cold blooded killers.
30Hey Im not arguing that everyone should dislike him.
I just personally dislike him for the reasons I've stated.
31I like the idea of putting these alleged killers on an island prison, where it would be difficult, if not impossible to escape from. Oh wait, they're in one already. The only thing about alcatraz that would be better is that it is a whole lot colder in SF, than Cuba. So that is a definite bonus.
32No no Dave, the bonus is that if they escape from Alcatraz they are in SF
Maybe some hippies can hug it out with them.
33Last Friday there was rumbling in the administration that Gitmo folks be moved to the supermax security location here in Colorado in Florence. Our Governor, Bill Ritter, said he would want to know more details, but would possibly not oppose the idea. That takes some balls and the local media slammed him hard.
Now for a Florida official to suggest San Fran, that is kind of chickensh*t. Definitely a NIMBY move, especially when they have Glades right tnere.
34Kia - The reason he suggested SF was in jest because its Nancy Pelosi's district and he was trying to uncover her hypocrisy. He was making a point that those who support this may not be the first in line to take these people on.
35Besides, if Alcotraz can be discounted because its a tourist attraction, then so can the glades.
36haus i didn't say anyone here said that i was referring to past conversations. Why should Australia or the UK share the burden. The UK had it's own attacks and dealt with them in their own way without American intervention. They have done enough by going to Iraq as far as i'm concerned.
37Nya, the reason I'm suggesting these 2 countries specifically, is exactly because they were such strong supporters of the U.S' "war on terror" and the UK especially sent over 45,000 troops to Iraq despite the very vocal opposition to the war by the British people. I know, I was there vocally opposing.
38I just believe in assuming responsibility for ones' actions and since the U.S didn't go into Iraq alone, those countries that were going to share the glory had the outcome had been different, should now do their fair share in clearing up the mess.
That's why I said that just for sending those troops over was enough since the war wasn't their idea, they just jumped on the bandwagon. They've given enough support.
39I think that for the sake of "National Security" they shouldn't advertise where they take these prisoners. If it were on an Island, do they shoot down helicopters that come in the area for planned pickups? Also if they release them, why in the he{{ would they let them out on our streets and not take them back to their own country? I'm sure there would be a different protocol for terrorist suspects.
40From what I've read, we've tried to release some of the detainees, and the country where they are from won't let us return them. What do you do with them at this point? They are not guilty, but not necessarily good people. We can't release them into our country, but the fact that their own country doesn't want them is very telling.
41well it must suck for them, they are guilty of nothing but their country now doesn't want them, they should do like other innocent prisoners and sue the heck out of their captors, because their lives are now wrecked.
42Wasn't it suggested that some would not only be welcomed back, but given a higher ranking? How strange if they wouldn't welcome back those who wouldn't give out information even when tortured. But if they really won't except them back, I think they should be placed on an Island such as Alcatraz. Let them be gardeners
...but if they kill one of the tourists they can just be tried again and perhaps executed
Isn't that how they do it with American child molesters? They just keep putting
them out on the streets until they can actually get "caught" killing.
43OH for goodness sake.... people get all uppity over a simple statement, fact is Obama should have figured out what to do with the detainees before order guantanamo shut down. He was bending to pressure from his constituency to close it down as promised when he should have said we have to work things out first before issuing such an order. He didn't think it through and if anything happens by those people, IT WILL BE HIS FAULT!
44"Its not like the US goes on the streets of Iraq clipping people off or throwing random peopel in the back of trucks to go to Gitmo."
Actually, based on some of the people who eventually were released, yeah the US did go on the streets of other countries and clip random people.
"The people who are there are there for a reason, albeit a suspected reason."
45Americans consider a suspect is innocent until proven guilty... very basic concept in US justice.
"Obama should have figured out what to do with the detainees before order guantanamo shut down."
46No, Bush should have figured out what to do with them before he took the US government into war crimes territory. Obama's just cleaning up an extremely unfortunate mess someone else made. To continue to keep Guantanamo open and operating opens Obama's Administration to war crimes allegations as well.
"Wasn't it suggested that some would not only be welcomed back, but given a higher ranking?"
47That's within the terrorist organizations, which doesn't represent the country.
people don't get uppity over a single statement people get uppity over an outlandish, outrageous fear mongering statement. I'd be more worried bout the terrorists George Bush failed to catch you know the ones in Pakistan, no, Iraq, no Afghanistan, no Iran, no Syria, no in Palestine
, than the ones in custody.
48Well UnDave, I wonder how one would get welcomed back into the terrorist organization without entering the country. Perhpas we could drop them like bombs (with parachutes of course) out of planes into the areas we think the terrorist organizations might be.
I mean illegal
aliens drop into our country all the time. I don't think they would even be illegal.
49Perhpas = Perhaps
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