US Senate to scrap Guantanamo closure funds! MSNBC says it's Harry Reid...

[KoKo]

(According to chatting head on MSNBC...Harry's in trouble back at home and doesn't want any terrorists released in America...so they can't close GITMO) :banghead:

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US Senate to scrap Guantanamo closure funds

AFP
AFP American Edition

May 19, 2009

The US Senate will move Tuesday to strip President Barack Obama's request for funds to close the Guantanamo Bay prison for alleged terrorists from an emergency spending bill, a top lawmaker said.

"The money was sought prematurely," because Obama does not yet have a plan for what to do with the detainees there, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters.

Feinstein said she had discussed the matter with Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid and that "there will be an amendment which will say 'no funding until there is a plan.'"

Obama had asked for 80 million dollars to shutter the notorious facility as part of a massive supplemental to pay for fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through October 1, as well as aid Pakistan.

The House of Representatives did not include the money in its 96.7 billion dollar version of the bill, but the Senate had included in its 93.1 billion dollar version with some restrictions.

But Obama's request had run into stiff opposition from Republicans and Democratic unease about the potential transfer or release of detainees -- even though cleared of terrorism charges -- onto US soil.

"I think the part that is 'no funding until there is a plan' is fine. I think this money was premature," said Feinstein.

But "most Americans don't know that we already have major terrorists and serial killers housed in 'supermax' federal prisons from which no one has ever escaped and is not in anyone's community," she told reporters.


http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/05/us_senate_to_scrap_guantanamo_closure_funds.php?ref=fpc

[bluestateguy]

1. My favorite scene from Star Wars

was in "A New Hope" when Moff Tarkin walks into a meeting and announces that the Emperor has dissolved the Senate permanently.

[Initech]

7. If pro is the opposite of con, what's the opposite of progress?

:evilgrin:

[Canuckistanian]

18. LOL

That's a good one! :rofl:

[Initech]

19. I stole it from Stephen Wright.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Harry needs to go

[bigtree]

3. Congress wants a plan in place for the disposition of the detainees

. . . before they fork over money. As soon as there's a solid plan in place, I expect they'll come on with the cash. I expect there to be a wider debate on all of that first, as a result.

[tabatha]

4. It makes sense to make sure they no how and why and what the need.

[KoKo]

5. It's for political reasons. They could have approved the funding

and not released it. This way it comes across as pandering for votes from the Republicans. Gets airtime for the media spin and leaves Obama open for criticism.

[bigtree]

9. of course it's poliitcal

. . . but it should be expected (because of the divergenge of views on the detainees) that the policy will have to go through the ringer in Congress before any money is squeezed out. But, the administration will settle on a plan and the Democrats will manage it through in the end, I believe (Whether it's something we'll all agree on is another matter).

[KoKo]

10. There was a campaign promise, though.

better to vote the money, say that it won't be released until the policy on detainees is finalized and be a win/win with those of us who want to see more action on closing...and those who don't want the detainees in their back yard. I'm just saying that as one of those Dems who wanted Gitmo closed and the detainees to get a proper hearing, that holding off on Gitmo and creating Tribunals doesn't sit well with some of us who voted for Obama.

I'm sure what you say about "managing it through in the end," and getting Republican votes will make many happy.

[bigtree]

12. I guess my point is

. . . that this action is probably not the biggest flash point in the wrestle to get the prison closed. There's the hypocrisy at Afghanistan's Bagram Prison and the muddy water on renditions - and, as you say, there's the issue of the tribunals. Dems will give over on the funds . . . it's the policy behind all of that which deserves the most attention.

[KoKo]

13. Yes, indeed. n/t

[OHdem10]

6. I heard a report the other day. Some red state Dems ---not in my state.

I think we all know in some locations there is an unmentionable
anti-muslim sentiment. Some fear for safety of detainees in
our country.

Recall how some tried to hang the Muslim Monniker around Obama's
neck during campaign. They were hopeful that people would revulse
and not vote for Obama. I repeat this only to illustrate the
underlying anti-muslim bias.

Profiles in Courage are not plentiful in Democratic Party, therefore
they will follow the less educated members of society rather than
stand for something.

[2Design]

8. they have seen the pictures so don't want them in usa since if they weren't terriroists

before we got our hands on them - they will be now

[KoKo]

14. Not to be crude...but we broke these people...and we bought them...

And that people (US Citizens) are afraid of having them in prisons here then they should have done more to stop these wars and should be calling for an end to them, before we have more terrorists created.

[2Design]

15. exactly and we are training our young people to kill and torture others n/t

[MzNov]

11. and the spineless still prevail....

Montana will take some of the inmates from Gitmo!

Put the rest on Alcatraz, it's empty!

[annabanana]

16. Land of the Terrorized, Home of the Shitstained Coward..

What? Are these guys in Gitmo supermen or something? Their reputations grow more and more impressive daily from our piss-pants reactions.....

[BlooInBloo]

17. Gawd Reid fucking sucks.

[KoKo]

20. That no one ever attacks him on the right or left says much about him and what he

does or does not stand for that he gets away with...imho... :-(