Obama to build a new prison for Gitmo inmates in Illinois - Polidicks

[QUOTE=npr]The White House said Tuesday that it will transfer a limited number of terrorism suspects from the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba to a prison in rural Illinois, prompting swift criticism from Republicans worried about increased security risks on U.S. soil. Officials say federal inmates and no more than 100 detainees would be housed at the maximum-security Thomson Correctional Center, located about 150 miles west of Chicago. The Obama administration says the prison could be used for detainees awaiting military trial or for those who can't be released under any circumstances — but only if Congress agrees to change the law. The government will acquire the underutilized Illinois prison and transform it into a facility that will "exceed perimeter security standards at the nation's only 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colo.," according to a letter to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Attorney General Eric Holder and Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair. Those departments "will work closely with state and local law enforcement authorities to identify and mitigate any risks" at the prison, the letter stated. It also made clear that President Obama "has no intention of releasing any detainees in the United States." Speaking after a briefing with White House officials on Tuesday, Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin and Quinn cast the decision to accept Guantanamo detainees as an act of patriotism — one with the added bonus of job creation. "Time and time again, the people of Illinois have risen to the task," Durbin said. "We believe this is in service of our country." Planned Detention Site Credit: Alyson Hurt/NPR White House National Security Adviser James Jones said shifting detainees to Thomson would make the United States more secure and removes "a recruiting tool that Guantanamo Bay has come to symbolize" for terror organizations. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky condemned the administration's plan, saying the American people "already have rejected bringing terrorists to U.S. soil." He accused the White House of failing to explain how transferring some of the detainees to the U.S. would be safer than keeping them at the U.S. Navy-run facility in Cuba. Shortly after taking office, Obama signed an executive order directing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison, which he says has become a symbolic recruiting tool for al-Qaida. However, the task of figuring out what to do with about 215 terrorist suspects there has proven both legally and politically difficult. The White House says detainees can be held safely and securely on U.S. soil, but some Illinois officials say the risk is too great. Republican Rep. Mark Kirk, who is seeking Obama's former U.S. Senate seat, opposes the move. Kirk has lobbied other officials to contact the White House in opposition to using the facility. State Rep. Jim Sacia says he isn't thrilled about the prospect of detainees in Illinois, but he disagrees with the safety concerns of his GOP colleagues and says the focus should be on the potential economic benefits. "I have no doubt in my mind, having sat through several very significant briefings, that keeping the Gitmo prisoners segregated from the remainder of the 1,600 maximum-security prisoners will be handled professionally by the military," he said. Illinois Democrats have enthusiastically embraced the idea of turning the prison over to federal officials as a way to create jobs in a state with roughly 11 percent unemployment. Sen. Roland Burris said transferring Guantanamo detainees will be "a great economic benefit to the state by creating over 3,000 well-paying jobs and bringing in valuable federal dollars to fund local facility operations." He added that he had "full confidence that the facility will hold these terrorism suspects safely and securely." Thomson Village President Jerry Hebeler got the news late Monday that his town of 450 residents had been chosen as the site to house detainees from Guantanamo. "It'll be good for the village and the surrounding area, especially with all the jobs that have been lost here," he said. The Illinois Department of Corrections is ready to transfer out the 200 minimum-security prisoners now housed at the Thomson Correctional Center in anticipation of handing it over to the federal government, IDOC spokeswoman Januari Smith said. Thomson was built in 2001 as a state prison with the potential to house maximum security inmates. Local officials hoped it would improve the economy, providing jobs to a hard-hit community. However, state budget problems have kept the 1,600-cell prison from ever fully opening. The facility was one of several sites evaluated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for their suitability to house detainees from the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Other prisons — including those in Marion, Ill.; Hardin, Mont.; and Florence, Colo. — also expressed interest in taking the Guantanamo detainees to keep prison employees working. In a Dec. 11 letter to Senate Republicans that was obtained by The Associated Press, Napolitano promised that former Guantanamo detainees' stay on U.S. soil would be temporary. She wrote that detainees would be treated for immigration purposes as though they were stopped at a U.S. border crossing post. If a detainee were brought to the U.S. for trial, that person could be tried, convicted, serve prison time or be acquitted, Napolitano said. Congress passed a measure earlier this year that would bar terrorism suspects from U.S. soil unless they were going to be prosecuted. Democrats plan to lift that restriction if the White House can show it has a secure plan for housing the inmates.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121454635[/url] This is long overdue. I'm glad he's taking some responsibility and not acting like a hypocrite by accepting them in his own state instead of asking someone else to take them. That's good leadership imo.

[quote]To operate the prison, administration officials have estimated some 3,800 jobs would be created in and around Thomson.[/quote] Good move Obama.

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And then what? Move them from a jail on American soil to another jail on a different patch of American soil? That solves nothing. What about the rights that we hold so high and mighty? The same ones that we claim to be fighting for when we invade other, smaller countries and kill their people. If they are not all tried and prosecuted/acquitted then Obama is still not doing what he said he would.

"American soil" in Cuba or Syria doesn't offer the same rights as a prison in Illinois.

Fucking hell I don't want terror suspects south of my state

Fucking hell, I don't want terror suspects in [i]my[/i] state.

Fucking hell, I don't want terror suspects in [i]any[/i] state.

[QUOTE=johnlukeg;18976133]"American soil" in Cuba or Syria doesn't offer the same rights as a prison in Illinois.[/QUOTE] Bull. That's what Bush tried to pass through when the Supreme Court told him he couldn't. If McCain was born out of the country on a base and could have possibly been the president - how does it make any sense that we can have a jail on another base that completely ignores the Constitution? Protip: It doesn't make any sense at all.

[QUOTE=Phanny;18976060]And then what? Move them from a jail on American soil to another jail on a different patch of American soil? That solves nothing. What about the rights that we hold so high and mighty? The same ones that we claim to be fighting for when we invade other, smaller countries and kill their people. If they are not all tried and prosecuted/acquitted then Obama is still not doing what he said he would.[/QUOTE] It's a first step.

[QUOTE=Wallettheifv3;18976180]Fucking hell, I don't want terror suspects in [i]any[/i] state.[/QUOTE] We create a flying superfortress over American waters. Problem solved.

And he has been trying to get them tried in US courts.

[QUOTE=BagMinge101;18976258]We create a flying superfortress over American waters. Problem solved.[/QUOTE] That actually sounds pretty awesome

[QUOTE=Wallettheifv3;18976180]Fucking hell, I don't want terror suspects in [i]any[/i] state.[/QUOTE] Choose between having them legally in a state or sending them back. You cannot just keep them in a prison evading and circumventing the law because they could have possibly been involved in something that could have possibly been related to terrorism. In fact by doing so the only thing that we are achieving is fostering more hate for our hypocritical American government. [editline]07:59PM[/editline] [QUOTE=DamagePoint;18976264]And he has been trying to get them tried in US courts.[/QUOTE] Good.

[QUOTE=Phanny;18976203] Protip: It doesn't make any sense at all.[/QUOTE] Just because it doesn't make any sense doesn't mean it isn't true.

I don't want these damn inmates in my state.

[QUOTE=Killoch0;18976349]Just because it doesn't make any sense doesn't mean it isn't true.[/QUOTE] The Supreme Court declared it wrong to pen up suspected terrorists in Guantanamo without giving them a trial. So no, it is not true that because you are not in the country but still on our soil you can blatantly evade the rights we give to our citizens.

[QUOTE=DamagePoint;18976264]And he has been trying to get them tried in US courts.[/QUOTE] Yes. Let's totally forget the fact I was able to stay alive for 8 years while a terrorist threat was rampant across the Middle East, threatening to end every American's life. And let's also throw the fact that US courts are for trying US citizens. But whatever. I suppose all that flew out the window a year ago. You bastard. You snipped it.

[QUOTE=haloguy234;18976423]Yes. Let's totally forget the fact I was able to stay alive for 8 years while a terrorist threat was rampant across the Middle East, threatening to end every American's life. And let's also throw the fact that US courts are for trying US citizens. But whatever. I suppose all that flew out the window a year ago.[/QUOTE] What are you trying to argue? That they shouldn't be tried? That we should kill them all? Or just leave the problem for his successor to solve? After all, the guy before him did it. Trying to be cute/sneaky and go around the law is not going to work. You have to charge them and try them or else you can not hold them. It's unconstitutional.

[QUOTE=haloguy234;18976423]Yes. Let's totally forget the fact I was able to stay alive for 8 years while a terrorist threat was rampant across the Middle East, threatening to end every American's life. And let's also throw the fact that US courts are for trying US citizens. But whatever. I suppose all that flew out the window a year ago. You bastard. You snipped it.[/QUOTE] I'm not saying he didn't keep america protected but he didn't exactly follow its laws or ideals.

illinois is a bad state anyway i lived there for a year it's just farms

There's terrorists in many states, filtered in through normal prisons. The difference being these dudes were just held at Guantanamo. At least they are ensured a fair trial now. [editline]07:13PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Wii60;18976652]illinois is a bad state anyway i lived there for a year it's just farms[/QUOTE] Yeah except that Chicago part right?

[QUOTE=Wallettheifv3;18976137]Fucking hell I don't want terror suspects south of my state[/QUOTE] you cant say that cause most of them haven't had a trial yet, they've just been taken from their homes and put in that death cam - prison.

I heard that they might house the rest of them in Michigan (which was planned before)

I don't hear Colorado bitching about a supermax prison with the worst dudes in the country in it.

[QUOTE=Phanny;18976537]What are you trying to argue? That they shouldn't be tried? That we should kill them all? Or just leave the problem for his successor to solve? After all, the guy before him did it. Trying to be cute/sneaky and go around the law is not going to work. You have to charge them and try them or else you can not hold them. It's unconstitutional.[/QUOTE] I think they should be tried in military tribunals.

[QUOTE=haloguy234;18976423]Yes. Let's totally forget the fact I was able to stay alive for 8 years while a terrorist threat was rampant across the Middle East, threatening to end every American's life. And let's also throw the fact that US courts are for trying US citizens. But whatever. I suppose all that flew out the window a year ago. You bastard. You snipped it.[/QUOTE] Of course this man is a genius! We should make a new court system and call it the "And All those Other Blokes Court" so that we can finally try them. Whew, good thing we dodged that bullet. [editline]01:27AM[/editline] [QUOTE=haloguy234;18977053]I think they should be tried in military tribunals.[/QUOTE] Er, why exactly? I mean, disregarding the fact that such a thing would inevitably be a farce just because it would be so easy to make it so, that's the military. We have a court system, why not, you know, use the people trained specifically to be fair and balanced judges of the law? [editline]01:28AM[/editline] [QUOTE=Keegs;18976902]I heard that they might house the rest of them in Michigan (which was planned before)[/QUOTE] Good idea. Turn Flint into a giant prison. They'd have jobs then, at least. [editline]01:29AM[/editline] Oh, and there never was a threat of the end of all American life from any terrorist group. That's silly. [editline]01:29AM[/editline] I mean, hell, Swine Flu has already outdone anything they've ever done and nobody even gives a shit about it.

[QUOTE=haloguy234;18977053]I think they should be tried in military tribunals.[/QUOTE] If they were caught on the battlefield - maybe. But we've had them penned up in Guantanamo for so long with minimal documentation that I don't think anyone knows anymore. If it's impossible to get anything else a tribunal will have to do - but it's not impossible. [editline]08:32PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Majache;18977056] Er, why exactly? I mean, disregarding the fact that such a thing would inevitably be a farce just because it would be so easy to make it so, that's the military. We have a court system, why not, you know, use the people trained specifically to be fair and balanced judges of the law? [/QUOTE] Something is better than nothing although you're right. It just seems as though we're going to keep moving the problem around instead of taking a position and dealing with it.

No I think it was up in the U.P. they were thinking

[QUOTE=Phanny;18976203]Bull. That's what Bush tried to pass through when the Supreme Court told him he couldn't. If McCain was born out of the country on a base and could have possibly been the president - how does it make any sense that we can have a jail on another base that completely ignores the Constitution? Protip: It doesn't make any sense at all.[/QUOTE] So you would rather endanger the citizens of another country with OUR prisoners instead of having us deal with our own shit? As if they're some kind of actual threat to us? [editline]07:47PM[/editline] Honestly, they aren't invincible giant metal men made of nuclear bombs I don't see how they are different from any other convict in some high-security prison.