Bush will let Rumsfeld give another big contract to Haliburton for Gitmo before he leaves-& Congress

[papau]

did not authorize the construction!

From the ACLU:


Without getting any approval from Congress, the deputy to outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is leading the charge to fast track the construction of a massive new compound for military trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba -- and a Halliburton subsidiary is maneuvering to be the contractor to get the taxpayers’ money.

We need your help this week while Congress is still in session if we have any hope of stopping this ill-conceived and unnecessary multi-million dollar project. Urge your Members of Congress to take action <http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=_2XvqaS4oZcRabMcZYZIoA..> .

The massive courthouse project would be for trials of no more than a few dozen detainees under the Military Commissions Act of 2006, the new law that we fought against that allows the trial and conviction of people at Guantanamo Bay, possibly with evidence that was literally beaten out of a witness. Even some of its supporters agree the law is unconstitutional.

According to an article this week in the Miami Herald, Gordon England, a deputy under Donald Rumsfeld, has told Congress that the government wants to push this $125 million project through without any congressional approval. A government spokesperson said that the Bush administration would even go so far as to make cuts in other programs to pay for this wasteful project.

Please ask your Members of Congress to block funding for the Defense Department's permanent $125 million "Legal Compound" at Guantanamo <http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=75HQ5XpxGVTQ3gh_3iXrMQ..> .

Without immediate action by Congress, this massive construction project, which was not approved by Congress, will be awarded to military contractors in just a few weeks. Your action is urgently needed because Congress ends its work on Friday and the newly elected Congress will take office on almost the same day that the government awards the contract.

The last military contractor awarded construction work at Guantanamo Bay was Halliburton subsidiary KBR, Inc., which reportedly received $30 million to build a detention complex for 220 inmates. This same Halliburton subsidiary just agreed to repay the Army $8 million in an overcharging dispute on another project.

Given the outcome of the recent elections and the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, now is not the time for new projects like this massive factory for detainee tribunals. Congress -- and not the Defense Department on its own -- should make decisions on whether, when and how to build any new courthouse at Guantanamo.

You can help stop this project by contacting your Members of Congress today <http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=WstV9w1H8YHv2MDjUcLo5w..> . A few lawmakers from both parties have already said they are concerned about the decision to build the compound -- but most of Congress has been kept in the dark.

This project is unnecessary because there already is a courtroom at Guantanamo, and hundreds of federal courtrooms around the country. But even more importantly, the law that will be used to try detainees is the un-American Military Commissions Act -- the new law that we fought against for trying and convicting people at Guantanamo Bay. Even senators who voted for it, such as Senator Arlen Specter, agree that it is unconstitutional.

Members of Congress are beginning to understand that the American people are looking for their leadership to restore American values and the rule of law. But unless your leaders hear from you, they may wrap up business this week without addressing this important issue. Ask your Members of Congress to block funding for this permanent complex now, <http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=BhHBs5dOOHIc-eBjhFp80w..> or read more first. <http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=mN3fvm2v0clK_D_7p46Vjg..>

Sincerely,

Caroline Fredrickson, ACLU <>