Illinois prison likely to house(Gitmo) detainees

[SpartanDem]

Source: WaPo

CHICAGO -- Despite opposition from congressional Republicans, the Obama administration is signaling that a state prison in rural Thomson, Ill., will probably become the new home for scores of terrorism suspects now housed at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Officials from the White House, Defense Department and U.S. Bureau of Prisons spent two hours last week briefing more than a dozen members of the Illinois congressional delegation in the office of Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.). To reassure skeptical Republicans, they emphasized security.

Although the officials left open the possibility that another site could be chosen, participants emerged from the session convinced that the U.S. government will buy the largely unused $145 million Thomson Correctional Center, which was built in 2008.

If all goes well, administration sources involved in closing the Guantanamo Bay prison anticipate a handover of the Thomson facility by late winter. It would then take several months to prepare the prison to a level "beyond supermax" and put the staff in place, according to federal estimates.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/05/AR2009120502795.html

[rosesaylavee]

1. Good.

As much as I despise prisons, this will help that little town immensely. Heard the mayor on the radio, they had built schools and people had opened businesses several years ago when it was originally built. The town is in serious trouble due to lack of employment. And there aren't other larger towns out that way that people can commute to... this will make a difference to a lot of people out that way.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

4. I'm from there...

They're talking 3,000 new jobs (1,500 directly at the prison and another 1,500 other jobs). The population of the county is about 16,000 with about 1,000 people unemployed (that's my rough questimate). Even if half of the jobs migrate across the river to Clinton, IA -- a metropolis with a population of more than 25,000 and several STOPLIGHTS (!) and half the jobs left go to current federal employees who relocate, you're still talking about almost elminiating unemployment in Carroll County.

I've met very few people who are against this.

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. Good

More money for the state.

Michigan: are you fucking stupid turning down jobs over this? You don't need jobs up in Michigan?

[SpartanDem]

3. Yeah I'm disappointed that my governor

gave into the hysteria.