LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.2010 Webby Award Winner for Best Political Blog   Robert Scheer - The Great American Stickup
September 5, 2010
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Most Read
Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * For Paul Conrad
Waking Up in the 1930s
Our Quick-Fix Electorate

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Financial Meltdown 101

Truthdig Bazaar
Matters of Fact and Fiction book cover

Matters of Fact and of Fiction

by Gore Vidal
Very Fine, Collector's Copy $150 NOW $80 - Only one copy left!

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

Guantánamo Bay Prisoner Transfer Delayed

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   

Share
Posted on Dec 23, 2009
Guantanamo
AP / Brennan Linsley, pool

The U.S. prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, isn’t going to close just yet.

President Barack Obama made waves just after taking office when he announced his administration’s intent to close the infamous Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba by Jan. 22, 2010, but it looks as if he’s going to miss that deadline.

The president and his sidekicks in the federal Bureau of Prisons had been looking to buy the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois and transfer several prisoners there from Gitmo, but Obama ran into some issues when it came to drumming up funds for the Thomson project, which is one reason for the delay.  —KA

The New York Times:

But in interviews this week, officials estimated that it could take 8 to 10 months to install new fencing, towers, cameras and other security upgrades before any transfers take place. Such construction cannot begin until the federal government buys the prison from the State of Illinois.

The federal Bureau of Prisons does not have enough money to pay Illinois for the center, which would cost about $150 million. Several weeks ago, the White House approached the House Appropriations Committee and floated the idea of adding about $200 million for the project to the military spending bill for the 2010 fiscal year, according to administration and Congressional officials.

But Democratic leaders refused to include the politically charged measure in the legislation. When lawmakers approved the bill on Dec. 19, it contained no financing for Thomson.

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By AmericanDream, December 23, 2009 at 5:30 pm Link to this comment

Congress once again will be our downfall.  Esp. the Senate.  Hell, Republicans will vote against any financing just for the sake of making Obama look bad.  Such is politics in this inept structure of government.  Never mind that Guantanamo is continuing to stain our so-called image of a freedom-loving nation.

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!







Number of characters remaining: 4000

Notify you when others comment on this article?

What is the sum of 5 and 6?


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

 
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2010 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.