Palau gets $200 million....

[bga1]

........to take the Chinese Muslim Gitmo prisoners. See this Wall Street Journal article.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124467648972304081.html

At this rate, closing Gitmo to save Obama's political hide will be very costly indeed. This is sickening.

[UpnorthGo4]

Assuming we just don't kill the suspected terrorists like some of you would like to do, what do you suppose it would cost the U.S. to keep them at Gitmo for the rest of their lives?

Here is my guess:

$100 per night (cost to house one prisoner in U.S.) X 365 days = $36,500 per year X 2 (estimated military cost structure) = $73,000 per year

$73,000 per year x 250 (Gitmo prisoners) = $18,250,000 per year X 50 years (remaining life span of Gitmo prisoners) = $912,500,000 = rounded to $1 Billion in todays dollars

Plus all of the negative worldwide criticism of the U.S. for holding suspected terrorists without trial for the rest of their lives.

The $200 million to Palau doesn't look too bad to me.

[bga1]

Assuming we just don't kill the suspected terrorists like some of you would like to do, what do you suppose it would cost the U.S. to keep them at Gitmo for the rest of their lives?

He is my guess:

$100 per night (cost to house one prisoner in U.S. X 365 days = $36,500 per year X 2 (estimated military cost stucture) = $73,000 per year

73,000 per year x 250 (Gitmo prisoners) = $18,250,000 per year X 50 years (remaining life span of Gitmo prisoners) = $912,500,000 = rounded to $1 Billion in todays dollars

Plus all of the negative worldwide criticism of the U.S. for holding suspected terrorists without trial for the rest of their lives.

The $200 million to Palau doesn't look too bad to me.


Let's explore that:

We paid $11.8 million per prisoner to Palau. Take that times 250- that's $3 billion. You prefer to pay 3 billion to 1 billion (using your numbers)to avoid some criticism? Let me see.... that must mean you are a Democrat! That's exactly Obama's calculation- pay whatever it takes to avoid the criticism he might get if no one takes the prisoners. Popularity always trumps doing the right thing.

Let's face it- he made a promise he hadn't thought out and couldn't keep without bribing other nations using taxpayer dollars.

One more note- do you understand the concept of "present value"? That more than negates your "today's dollars" argument.

[jamiche]

I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!

[jamiche]

Let's explore that:

We paid $11.8 million per prisoner to Palau. Take that times 250- that's $3 billion. You prefer to pay 3 billion to 1 billion (using your numbers)to avoid some criticism? Let me see.... that must mean you are a Democrat! That's exactly Obama's calculation- pay whatever it takes to avoid the criticism he might get if no one takes the prisoners. Popularity always trumps doing the right thing.

Let's face it- he made a promise he hadn't thought out and couldn't keep without bribing other nations using taxpayer dollars.

Speaking of bribery, how do you think your Hero got the Sunnis and the Shias in Iraq to stop killing each other with such regularity (and, therefore, making him look more inept)? Good ol' US dollars. We didn't win the hearts and minds, we won the wallets.

[bga1]

I'm sure we did use the wallet there. If so it's the most effective government money I have seen spent in a long time. Iraq is now a burgeoning free nation with a chance to thrive. I suspect over time they will be grateful (if not already) and an ally in an unstable area. How do you know we didn't win their hearts and minds by the way? Is that an assumption of yours?

[bga1]

I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!

I think he might agree to it also.

[jamiche]

I'm sure we did use the wallet there. If so it's the most effective government money I have seen spent in a long time. Iraq is now a burgeoning free nation with a chance to thrive. I suspect over time they will be grateful (if not already) and an ally in an unstable area. How do you know we didn't win their hearts and minds by the way? Is that an assumption of yours?

One person's bribery is another's prudent investment.

[bga1]

It's not even effective bribery if all you are buying is your own political hide - as Obama is here.
Europeans who have criticized us for Gitmo totally exposed themselves as fraudulent when they have been offered prisoners and rejected it. So the complaint can be summed up thusly- "we don't like it but we don't have a better idea and we certainly don't want them here." That's the kind of complaint that you should summarily dismiss, rather than be a sucker and cow to it.

In Iraq we found a way to peace neighborhood by neighborhood and town by town. Were dollars involved? I'm certain they were. But a real result was obtained and that's a big difference. Here's what is beautiful: Iraq is no longer deemed newsworthy by the media. That's when you know things are going pretty well.

[Gopher4Life]

>>I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!<<

Could I have one, please? Where's the line forming to sign up? And water boarding would be the least of his worries.

[monk10]

>>I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!<<

Could I have one, please? Where's the line forming to sign up? And water boarding would be the least of his worries.

Join the military. You put on a uniform and you have a license to kill.

[Gopher4Life]

I don't want to kill. Killing is too good for some of this scum.

[monk10]

You are starting to sound like those guys in the south that have a stash of weapons ready just in case the confederate flag rises again.

[Gopher4Life]

I guarantee you we'll see more domestic trouble if Obama is allowed to take this great nation much farther to the left. It might begin in the South, but it won't stay there. We're a Republic based on law regardless of what the messiah wants.

[Jike Spingleton]

You are starting to sound like those guys in the south that have a stash of weapons ready just in case the confederate flag rises again.

If that does happen, no weapons will be necessary for me. I will be more than happy to get out of the way and let the south go. Trimming the fat is always nice.

[Gopher4Life]

Jike,

Ever hear of "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"?

[jamiche]

I guarantee you we'll see more domestic trouble if Obama is allowed to take this great nation much farther to the left. It might begin in the South, but it won't stay there. We're a Republic based on law regardless of what the messiah wants.

And to think that the DHS was criticized for putting out a report stating that right wing domestic terrorism was a concern.....

[tikited]

I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!

He might talk them to death;)

[jamiche]

>>I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!<<

Could I have one, please? Where's the line forming to sign up? And water boarding would be the least of his worries.

Hard not to love the tough talk.

[diehard]

I say we put the remaining Gitmo prisoners in Die Hard's basement and let him kick some ass!

Better idea than you might think. If I could deport all of the illegal aliens in the west yard of my prison, I would have plenty of room for the Gitmo detainees and they would recieve very appropriate care. Make the check out to the State of North Carolina.

[Gopher4Life]

>>Hard not to love the tough talk.<<

Someone's gotta stand up for what's right.

[diehard]

If that does happen, no weapons will be necessary for me. I will be more than happy to get out of the way and let the south go. Trimming the fat is always nice.

Shipping your own job off shore?

[Moonlight]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-06-10-island-palau-gitmo-detainees_N.htm
There are just a few additional facts:

The Obama administration sought a solution for the detainees after facing fierce congressional opposition to releasing them on U.S. soil despite a Pentagon determination that they were not "enemy combatants."

A federal judge last year ordered the Uighur detainees released into the United States after the Pentagon determined they were not "enemy combatants." But an appeals court halted the order, and they have been in legal limbo ever since.

Asked Tuesday about discussions with Palau on the Uighurs, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly declined to comment beyond saying the U.S. is "working closely with our friends and allies regarding resettlement" of detainees at Guantanamo.

Two U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. was prepared to give Palau up to $200 million in development, budget support and other assistance in return for accepting the Uighurs and as part of a mutual defense and cooperation treaty that is due to be renegotiated this year.

The U.S. would not send the Uighurs back to China for fear they will be tortured or executed. Beijing says Uighur insurgents are leading an Islamic separatist movement in China's far west and wants those held at Guantanamo to be returned to China.

In 2006, Albania accepted five Uighur detainees from Guantanamo but has since balked at taking others, partly for fear of diplomatic repercussions from China.
But maybe the Pentagon is in cahoots with the NYTimes

[Jike Spingleton]

Shipping your own job off shore?

Nope, not a concern for me. All the most desirable jobs in my field are "up north." Hopefully in six months or so, some more upward mobility can get me out of here.

[diehard]

Now a days even a less than desirable job is better than no job. I hope the economy is turning but...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b31c06a2-5a7a-11de-8c14-00144feabdc0.html

Hope it isn't germaine.