Despite the fact that many prisons in the US are overcrowded, a prison in Thomson, Illinois is almost empty. This is because although millions were spent to build the prison, the state claims it lacks the funds to run it. Of course, there are some rather famous prisoners, those at Gitmo, who are in need of new housing. This would seem to provide an ideal match: some of the prisoners can be sent to the prison in Thomson and federal dollars can be spent to run the prison.
While people generally take a “not in my back yard” approach to things like alleged terrorists, the folks in Thomson seem to be eager to get these folks. The main reason is, of course, money. As noted above, the state alleges that it cannot even run the prison. Also, the local economy (like most local economies) is doing poorly. Having the federal government dump vast sums of money into the prison would create new jobs and provide an influx of cash into the region (naturally, Thomson’s gain would be at the expense of other people-those who pay the taxes and those who do not get that federal gravy).
Of course, certain Republicans have been critical of the plan, citing issues of national security. Of course, it is interesting to speculate about their actual motivations in this matter. In any case, the security concerns are easy enough to counter.
First, as the locals have pointed out, the prison is a maximum security prison. It is designed to handle the most dangerous sort of people and since these Gitmo folks are not super villains, it should handle them quite nicely.
Second, while there are some concerns that terrorists would attack the prison, no such attempts have been made at Gitmo. Gitmo is, obviously enough, located right next to Cuba-one of America‘s enemies. If the terrorists cannot launch an attack on Gitmo, it seems unlikely that they will be able to get to Illinois and launch an attack on a prison there. That would be a rather significant undertaking, to say the least.
Third, while it has been claimed that housing prisoners at Thomson would make Illinois the top target for terrorists, the fact is that the prison in Marion, Illinois already holds thirty five convicted terrorists as well as members of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. This has not seemed to have led to Illinois being the top target for terrorists and hence there seems little reason to think that adding a few former Gitmo inmates would change things.
In light of the facts, it seems reasonable to use the prison in Thomson. After all, it would help the local economy and put that multi-million dollar prison into operation. Also, if we are going to close Gitmo, we need to put the prisoners somewhere and we cannot expect other countries to take care of that for us.
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I have no fears of terrorists attacking the prison. But it will be a huge waste to shut down Gitmo, which actually is one of the best run prisons in the world, despite the most recent notoriety.
Well, shutting down Gitmo is a diplomatic move. Obama’s promise to do so generated positive responses-even from some nations that no doubt have their own secret prisons.
In many ways, the US is like the paladin in D&D: everyone expects you to live up to very high standards, even those folks who routinely violate those same standards.
There are vey high standards there. We are allowng our enemies, within and without, to determine our course of action.
Wish people could see the prisons we kept WWII Nazis in.
If they are federal prisoners, don’t they belong in a federal prison?
Quite right. But, presumably Thomson can be designated a federal prison. I assume this involves sprinkling the ground with some sort of magic federal dust.
Obama just seems to tell everyone what they want to hear. It must have some use because it is still open. I think his commital in Afghanistan is of more importance at the moment. He needs to commit more troops and win or get out. This indecision like a squirrel about to be run down in the road is totally disrespectful to the troops and their lives. He needs to tell us what he believes and just do it.
He’s the legitimately elected president of the US and the constitutional commander in chief. He can take all the time he deems necessary to make an important military decision. His critics criticize him for dithering while they gripe about him going too fast with health care. They’ve been working on health care for fifty years and dithering in Afghanistan for 8. Somebody once said You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.Or was that about pleasing all the fools all the time?
Well, he hasn’t pleased me yet. Who said the government should even be resposible for health care. You talk as if we have none. Afghanistan seems so simple to me. You want to win or not fight. He is obviously trying to do neither. The problem here is we have no idea what he really stands for. Everyone else seems to answer for him like you.