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Guantanamo: Most Expensive Prison on the Planet

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 10:25:49 PM EST
Tags: Guantanamo (all tags)
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Carol Rosenberg of McClatchy reports on the cost of housing inmates at Guantanamo in the Miami Herald. It costs $800,000 a year to house one detainee, according to a letter Eric Holder and Leon Pannetta sent Congress this summer. There are 171 detainees still at Guantanamo.

Congress, determined to keep Gitmo open, authorized provided $139 million for its operation last year. Why isn't it under consideration for part of the $1.5 trillion budget cut?

Guantanamo uses a "revolving staff of 1,850 troops, linguists, intelligence analysts, federal agents and contract laborers." Dell has been contracted to provide $2 million in new computers. Millions are still spent on an intelligence unit that interrogates detainees and provides risk assessments. There have been no new detainees at Gitmo since 2008, what's left to ask them?)

In a letter to Congress this summer, Attorney General Holder wrote:

The Defense Department “spends approximately $150 million per year on detention operations at Guantánamo, currently at a rate of more than $800,000 per detainee,” Attorney General Eric Holder and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other Cabinet members wrote Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and others.

This really is a must-read article. Guantanamo needs to be closed and the detainees either charged in federal criminal court or released.

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    Guantanamo: Most Expensive Prison on the Planet | 7 comments (7 topical)
    The answer is sooo easy: (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by NYShooter on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:44:52 PM EST
    "Why isn't it under consideration for part of the $1.5 trillion budget cut?"

    Because the 1% who want Gitmo to stay open hate the 99% of Americans who would benefit by the closing  more than they hate the alleged terrorists in Gitmo.

    Cuts to the tyranny budget? (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kdog on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 08:45:59 AM EST
    Maybe in an America in another dimension...in this dimension, only the humanity budget is on the block.

    Parent
    This is Bush and Cheney's way (none / 0) (#2)
    by scribe on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 07:12:34 AM EST
    of showing us their stimulus package.

    - not going there. lol (none / 0) (#7)
    by Mr Natural on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 11:25:42 AM EST


    Parent
    Can't close it because (none / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 09:29:08 AM EST
    having the most expensive prison on the planet means they must be doing something right, just like having the most expensive car or the most expensive house or the most expensive suit or the most expensive trophy wife or the highest credit card limit?

    Only the best - the winners - get to own the most expensive, and no one really wants to be downwardly mobile do they?

    ...
    Surreal for breakfast...

    Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
    Here in status symbol land

    Can't close it no matter the cost (none / 0) (#5)
    by KeysDan on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 10:06:48 AM EST
    because too many Americans are afraid to have those terrorists in a prison on our soil.  Even if the Thompson maximum security prison is re-inforced with Michele Bachman's double wall with roving bands of security in between,  and Herman Cain's  electrocuted (sic) barbed wire and surrounded by that alligator-filled moat, it is still, just too scary.  If those terrorists manage to escape from Gitmo they will  be Castro's problem but we would be safe.

    Most expensive prison... (none / 0) (#6)
    by Mr Natural on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 11:24:55 AM EST
    ... Keeping up with the Stalins.

    Guantanamo: Most Expensive Prison on the Planet | 7 comments (7 topical)