by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama's pledge to close the U.S. military's detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, without a suitable alternative for holding the dangeous terrorists there poses a risk to the nation's security and peace of mind, a Republican senator says.
"While President Obama has no plan for what to do with these killers, he has pledged to close the terrorist-detention facility in January to fulfill a campaign promise,'' Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) said today in delivering his party's weekly Internet and radio address.
"This is a dangerous case of putting symbolism over security,'' Bond said. "Or as I like to say - this is a classic example of a 'ready, fire, aim ' strategy.''
Obama has pledged to close the prison within a year. But with the Obama administration considering moving some of the prisoners to prisons on U.S. soil, Bond insists that "Americans don't want these terrorists in their neighborhoods.''
With a certain softspoken but also alarmist tone, the senator raises the specter of some of the terrorists going to "halfway houses in Missouri.''
"Americans also don't want to send these terrorists back to the battlefield to kill our troops,'' said Bond, ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, suggesting that alternatives are needed, but not suggesting what they are.
"There are no easy solutions here,'' he said.
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See the address above and see the text below:.
"This is Missouri Senator Kit Bond.
"As the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, I understand that protecting the American people is the government's highest priority and most important responsibility.
"And keeping our nation safe should not be a political issue, it's an American one.
"I hope my colleagues in Congress keep that in mind over the next couple of weeks as we debate the troop funding bill.
"Guantanamo Bay - known as GITMO - doesn't house middle-of-the-road, white-collar criminals.
"Instead, this detainee facility houses deadly terrorists, including 9-11-mastermind Khalid Sheihk Mohammed.
"While President Obama has no plan for what to do with these killers, he has pledged to close the terrorist-detention facility in January to fulfill a campaign promise.
"This is a dangerous case of putting symbolism over security.
"Or as I like to say - this is a classic example of a 'READY, FIRE, AIM' strategy.
"When it comes to national security decisions, I prefer aiming before shooting, which is why I keep calling on President Obama to tell us, the American people, how his plan to close Guantanamo will make our nation safer.
"The president needs to honor his pledge of transparency and provide the American people with answers.
"I think the American people have a right to know exactly what the White House plans to do with these terrorists.
"Americans also have a right to know if President Obama plans to send any of these terrorists to their communities.
"Any plan must answer these questions: Where will these men go? And will that make America safer?
"Now just last week the administration admitted that some of the terrorists could be coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
"Defense Secretary Gates testified before Congress that as many as 100 Guantanamo detainees could be transferred to the United States.
"Whether these terrorists are coming to a prison in Kansas, or a halfway house in Missouri, or any other state - I can tell you this:
"Americans don't want these terrorists in their neighborhoods.
"That's why when we put it to a vote, the Senate voted 94 to 3 against importing detainees to American soil - even if that meant to a maximum security prison.
"Americans also don't want to send these terrorists back to the battlefield to kill our troops.
"And, we know that terrorists detained at Guantanamo and released have gone back to the fight.
"The Pentagon has confirmed that at least 18 detainees who were released have gone back to the fight. And, 43 more are suspected of doing the same.
"There are no easy solutions here. But, having no solution and moving forward with the closing [of] the prison at Guantanamo is a dangerous gamble with our security here at home and our troops abroad.
"I, for one, am not willing to gamble with our national security.
"Closing our terrorist-detention facility with no backup plan is one campaign promise that can't hold up to national security realities.
"While the president has made closing Guantanamo Bay a priority, the highest priority must be keeping America safe.
"Thank you for listening."
Comments
Kit Bond?
Why not just let Inhofe or Rush give the thing every week.
Of course Rush wd want to be paid.
But they can afford it.
Posted by: ornery | May 9, 2009 9:16 AM
Kit, baby, the sad truth is that almost all inmates released from American prisons after any stretch over 1 year are dehumanized, disabled and dangerous.
Particularly those who've been held in segregation.
You never seemed to be too concerned about them, did you?
Posted by: ornery | May 9, 2009 10:21 AM
More No! from the GOP. No leadership, no plan, no solutions. The faces change but the reaction is always the same.
Posted by: Carol A. | May 9, 2009 10:29 AM
Obama probably would have no problem putting the detainees in Illinois with the LockStep Democrat control in Illinois.
Posted by: Inky | May 9, 2009 11:22 AM
"I think the American people have a right to know exactly what the White House plans to do with these terrorists.
This has yet to be proven that they are terrorists. They are not charged with anything and are not allowed to fight against their incarceration. Many were in the wrong place at the wrong time, children too. Many were ratted out by WAR LORDS for the money the US paid the WAR LORDS to turn in their neighbors.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | May 9, 2009 1:46 PM
Give a few detainees to bill r. and let them live on his boat. In return, they can sharpen his fillet knives.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | May 9, 2009 2:49 PM
The simple solution is let every democratic member of Congress take one home. Also, one for BO and BIden. Think of the possibilities:
A driver for Teddy
A house boy for Schumer and Durbin
Barney Frank could use him as a host to the brothel
Jan Schkowski could have him balance her checkbook.
One could give daily botox injections to Speaker Dimwit
You might want to avoid Senator Byrd - he might harken back to his old KKK days.
The possibilities are endless.
Posted by: Terry | May 9, 2009 4:27 PM
The closing of gitmo is a no brainer. The SCOTUS held it was de facto American soil, so the inmates have access to courts. I read some of the posts from Obama supporters here and elsewhere and they seem to think closing gitmo is a change in policy from detaining combatants without charge, access to lawyers, held indefinitely, etc. News flash - gitmo is not the only foreign prison where this occurs. The others keep right on detaining on authority from Obama. The policy has not changed one bit. Only a building and a political buzzword are at issue. Classic case of rhetoric ("close gitmo!") over substance (change the underlying policy). Of course the MSM won't report on this because it reveals that aside from rhetoric, there has been little foreign policy difference between Bush and Obama.
Posted by: Herbie H. | May 9, 2009 6:39 PM
Nessie make a very good point.
Add to that : many of the people Bush had tortured knew nothing and yielded no useful information.
They were just tortured on suspicion.
Like Dr. Szell tortured Babe in the film MARATHON MAN.
Posted by: ornery | May 9, 2009 7:20 PM
Actually, Laurence Olivier as Dr. Szell, der Weisse Engel, bears an uncanny resemblance to Dick Cheney.
Is that Life imitating Art?
Posted by: ornery | May 9, 2009 10:33 PM
.... many of the people Bush had tortured knew nothing and yielded no useful information.
Howinhell do YOU know?????????
Posted by: UnfrozenCavegirlBlogger | May 10, 2009 1:21 AM
How did Watson & Crick & Franklin figure out the structure of DNA?
Elementary, my dear Cave Girl:
If there were any useful information extracted from the torturees, Cheney, Scooter, Adderton, etc., would have leaked it out many new cycles ago,
Just the same way they leaked the identy of Ms. Plame as a covert CIA agent.
You remember: Scooter was convicted of perjury and making false statements in the ensuing investigation?
Remember that leak?
If torture had really prevented some major plot from coming to fruition, Bush Cheney & Co. would have leaked it long ago.
Posted by: ornery | May 10, 2009 10:07 AM
and the republicans? rhetoric over substance.
Posted by: bill r. | May 10, 2009 10:49 AM
The possibilities are endless.
Posted by: Terry | May 9, 2009 4:27 PM
Oh and lets not forget:
Lary Craig, he could use one of the detanees as a bathroom assistant!
The list of corruprion arrests on the Republican side is endless as well but I wont waste mytime telling you as you obviously have selective memory issues. Happy Mothers Day Terry!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | May 10, 2009 3:32 PM