Proposal for housing Guantánamo captives draws critics

MiamiHerald.com ^ | March 17, 2007 | CAROL ROSENBERG

[jazusamo]

Some U.S. House Democrats who want to close the Guantánamo Bay detention center are floating an idea to move captives to American military brigs on U.S. soil.

Republicans are opposing the idea, with one Florida congressman issuing a press release, ``America's Most Wanted Terrorists Not Welcome in the Sunshine State.''

Rep. James Moran, D-Va., a member of the House defense subcommittee, said in a recent interview on Fox News Channel, ``I'm simply offering some options. If you close [the Guantánamo detention center], we do have military brigs that are secure.''

''I don't see the momentum yet within Congress, although I know the Democratic leadership feels that Gitmo is undoing our progress in the war on terrorism,'' he said.

At issue is where the Bush administration would relocate some 395 or so men and teens held captive at Guantánamo, should Democrats in the House Appropriations Committee successfully strip funding for the prison camps from future spending bills.

He and Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, are identifying funding sources for the detention center at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba -- then will seek to slice the money from the 2008 appropriations bill the committee sends to the House floor.

Pentagon officials have long defended the need for such a detention center, describing the men as dangerous would-be terrorists; they have long argued that, were they not held in remote Cuba, the men would have to be locked up somewhere.

Moran's aide, Austin Durrer, said that his boss is leaving it up to the White House to determine where to move the captives held as ''enemy combatants'' at Camp Delta, some for more than five years.

[yldstrk]

A tent.

[jazusamo]

Murthawi ping!

[stylin19a]

let 'em live next to the Rats that want to bring 'em here.

[jazusamo]

The office of Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, issued a GOP Leader Alert declaring: ``If Democrats seriously want to import known terrorists -- captured in the field of battle against American troops -- perhaps we can set them up with a nice sunny spot in San Francisco?

I think Rep. Boehner's got the right idea if the Dems force the closure.

[pnh102]

Shoot them.

[DustyMoment]

This is another horribly bad idea. But, if Dems succeed in shutting down Guantanamo, house the terrorists with the Dems who voted to move them from Gitmo!!

[csvset]

Yes. Shoot them and then feed them to the sharks. Let the jihadis know that a ticket to Gitmo is one way.

[Mike Darancette]

Set up a blue state prisons.

[teldon30]

sharks?

---

oink...for me ;)

[RedQuill]

I have an extra dog-pen behing the shop and some razor wire. I'm hoping to make some $ on the side with a gov't contract providing Guantanamo overflow housing. If the gov't can't take care of them, let me!

[piasa]

Egyptian-registered freighter, North sea.

Stuff it, Murtha, I'd rather deport you than import terrorists to feed your lawyer buddies.

[MaxMax]

Holy freeking crp! Imagine if Bush threw this idea out there
and how the MSM would play it!

Oh, and btw,
this is another attempt to have them tried through American civil courts.
Once on American soil the Dem's will give them rights!
Don't believe me? Read my last sentence again, and again..

DEM---TRAITORS! I'm pissed off all over again.

/sigh

[jazusamo]

I hear ya! The Dems are truly fighting against our country.