Guantanamo prison may have to stay open until 2011

[unhappycamper]

Guantanamo prison may have to stay open until 2011
By LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press Writer
Dec 24, 4:52 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's commitment to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by next month may be delayed until 2011 because it will take months for the government to buy an Illinois prison and upgrade it to hold suspected terrorists.

The drawn-out construction timetable shows the political risk of Obama's pledge, a delay that could even be extended by congressional opposition to funding the purchase and upgrades for the Thomson Correctional Center, an underused state facility about 150 miles west of Chicago.

Lawmakers in both parties have been wary of bringing detainees to the United States. Attorney General Eric Holder already has decided that self-declared 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others will be tried in federal court in New York City.

In the Senate, a spokesman for Republican leader Mitch McConnell promised that the GOP would use delaying tactics to prevent funding the Illinois facility and added that he expected support from Democrats.

"I think there will be bipartisan opposition" to bringing detainees to Illinois, Donald Stewart said.


Rest of Stripes article at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GUANTANAMO?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[DrDan]

1. ok - so there are around 200 prisoners that are currently being "housed" at Guantanamo

I seem to remember that they are seeking $200M for the prison.

That works out to . . . hmmmm, let me see . . . 200 into 200 million . . . uh . . . $1,000,000 per prisoner.

There there will be the operating expenses . . .

Thinking like a Republican, I wonder if we put this out to bid, if we could save a buck or two.