It’s not Chicago’s fault or for that matter Illinois, Guantanamo Bay inmates are now a proposition for the state; and I couldn’t think of a better place to put them if they have to come here. Well theoretically it is Chicago and more specifically Illinois’ fault for electing such scumbags into office that you would wish such things on their districts.
Funny thing about the possible Illinois Guantanamo Bay exchange is that it’s the Democrats pushing to have the detainees housed there. Senator Dick Durbin and Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn are the elected leaders I spoke of earlier that are pushing for detainees to be moved to Illinois.
The possible site is Thompson Correctional Facility located about 150 miles from Obama’s Chicago. Republican officials fear that the Windy City may become a terrorist target if the Gitmo detainees are transferred there. I’ve got news for you, Chicago is probably on some terrorists short list anyway.
One of the entertaining aspects of this that I found is that this one particular Illinois town welcomes the prospect of Guantanamo detainees because it would bring jobs to an otherwise dying economy.
It’s pretty sad when you entertain the viewpoint of housing terrorists because it might bring jobs to your city. It’s not like the Fair coming to town for heaven sakes. This from Mercury News:
The prison was built in 2001 with the promise of thousands of jobs. But because of state budget problems, it has been largely vacant since its completion. It has 1,600 cells, but only about 200 minimum-security inmates are held there, and there are only 82 staff members, according to the state.
Whatever the decision for Illinois’ Guantanamo Bay prospects, this is Barack Obama’s Pandora’s Box. Most lawmakers with any common sense would push like crazy against Gitmo detainees being transferred where their constituents live. That is of course unless you’re an Obama lackey who toes the party line, ala Durbin; in that case you’ll do whatever makes it easier on the master. Sorry Illinois, guilt by association and all.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:47 am
listen to the last line of the AP reporter. he says ” with many republicans being opposed to it”
November 17th, 2009 at 6:54 am
according to a story in time, the opposition was bipartisan when it was propsed that the terrorists be moved to kansas.
so which is it ? just the republicans opposed or is it bipartisan?
I SMELL MSM BIAS. OR AT A MINIMUM, BIAS IN THIS INDIVIDUAL REPORTER.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:59 am
I noticed that the prison is named the Thompson Correctional Facility after Big Jim Thompson who has the distinction of being one of the only governors in recent Illinois history to not wind up inside a correctional facility.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Tim, while Illinois is considered a blue state, once you get away from metropolitan Chicago it’s pretty much Republican.
Metro Chicago has about 8 million people which is roughly two thirds of the population of Illinois. So yeah, it could be just the Republicans opposing.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:14 am
I don’t get the big deal about “housing terrorists”. We’re not putting them up in a Hilton, or having them stay at someone’s home. We’re putting them in prison. You know, the same place where we host all sorts of murderous and brutal individuals who have more conventional American names.
Do people honestly think that escape from a maximum security prison is a realistic scenario for these guys? I just don’t see the added risk everyone is so worried about.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:52 am
4- FLY, perhaps you are right.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:00 am
5- Rhay,
I am not concerned. The number is in the hundreds, NOT thousands and like you I believe our maximun security prisons are safe. I’m not worried about them escaping.
On the other had while these 2 possibilities are remote, they exist :
1. IF they are allowed visitors, isn’t it possible that these visitors may want to commit a terrorist personal Jihad type attack similar to Hasan ?
2. If the prison is in or near metro Chicago, are there not a lot of Nation of Islam and other black muslims near bye. All it takes is ONE person that thinks they will be pleasing Allah and going directly to heaven or paradise and getting whatever number of virgins as a reward ?
November 17th, 2009 at 8:10 am
1. IF they are allowed visitors, isn’t it possible that these visitors may want to commit a terrorist personal Jihad type attack similar to Hasan ?
I’m not sure there’s much of a risk here. Prison visitors are searched rigorously — you might be able to sneak in a dime bag of horse in a body cavity, but an explosive or a weapon is a different story. Your average Joe walking down the street has more weapons in his possession than a visitor who has just cleared a security screening at a prison.
All it takes is ONE person that thinks they will be pleasing Allah and going directly to heaven or paradise and getting whatever number of virgins as a reward ?
OK, sure, but that’s true whether this guy is in Chicago, or Guantanamo, or Pakistan, or anywhere else. I don’t really see how his physical location does much to either encourage or deter other potential terrorists.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Why should we risk having what could be a target on American soil ?
Radical right wing nuts like myself could want to take out the entire prison.
Why take that risk ?
Why take the risk that some Jihadi might want to set these guys free ? Setting them loose here.
It only makes sense to have guys like this where they’re at now.
Besides that.
These guys proudly confessed to their actions and deserve nothing more to have their heads whacked off and shoved up their rump. Video tapped and aired all over the middle east.
so the whole discussion of housing them then becomes moot.
” I don’t really see how his physical location does much to either encourage or deter other potential terrorists.”
Oh please, lets not start undermining what these guys are capable of. Weve already seen that they love causing pain to the American public any way possible. They would love for nothing more than to blow an American prison with American guards in it sky high while making their buddies martyrs at the same time.
Its probably the first thought that would enter their minds once they know these guys are in there.
An attack doesnt have to come from within Rhayader. I see no reason these guys couldnt do a drive by with some RPGS or an explosives campaign.
Maybe fly a 747 right into it
November 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Geez Micky, you could be on a jihad planning committee.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
An attack doesnt have to come from within Rhayader. I see no reason these guys couldnt do a drive by with some RPGS or an explosives campaign.
Maybe fly a 747 right into it
Uhh, that’s exactly my point — that sort of attack could be carried out whether KSM is inside or not. His presence literally makes no difference.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Maybe The totally empty facilty at Hardin,Montana would be a better choice-not such a political football!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:10 am
I grew up near Thompson, I remember when the prison was built and how much everyone hated it, but welcomed it at the same time. And I also remember how hard it was for everyone to find out that the promised jobs would not be arriving. Shannon you have no right to mock the locals. I bet you don’t have trouble putting food on your table do you? And I bet you have never had to scrounge the couch cushions for change to put gas in your car so you can commute 30 miles to work each way for minimum wage. Good, honest people live there, times are hard and they are doing everything they can to survive, and you sit here on your high internet horse throwing slander and mockery at them. I pity your ignorance
November 17th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I’m not sure how much you read on this site Andrew, but if you spend some time it will be clear: anything that can be connected in any way back to Obama will be the subject of derision and mockery, whether it is deserved or not. In this case, that happens to apply to the people of Illinois.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Rhay, it’s true, we learned that from the Democrats who blamed everything from Hurricane Katrina to starving kids in Africa on Bush . . . and they still do. Political grandstanding and demagoguery is fun!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Following up on Micky’s post, I see no reason why we are having this debate. Kill them, and put their heads on sticks.
Prosecuting them as criminals because their acts are not crimes directed at individuals. Rather, their killing our citizens is an act of war against our nation and our culture.
They are not an opposing force or state entitled legally or morally to invoke the Geneva Convention, or insist that this contest be fought by us and not them according to the Rules of Queensberry.
Treat them as the dangerous sentient animals they are. Because they are sentient, doing so (instead of just talking about it) will get the message across.
Some would say we can’t kill or mistreat themneed to fight them according
November 17th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Bryan- Very funny and very true.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:47 am
“His presence literally makes no difference.”
The point is why subject an American neighborhood to what could happen as a result of his presence.
If the place does get blown sky high I’d much rather have that happen and some remote location annexed to Cuba than over here.
His presence does make a difference to those with an ideological agenda.
Blowing up an American prison in the heartland does have a significance to Jihadists.
I’ll go out on a limb and assume that they’d rather do harm on American soil to American civilians. Especially if the prison is housing not only these six but American inmates and staff as well.
Think about it.
A plane approaching Gitmo is a hell of a lot more suspicious than one flying in traditional American airspace.
Theres no public traffic in or around Gitmo so the odds of an attck by drive by or fly by or even a militia like attack are almost non existent in such a remote area.
The Thompson facility offers much more and better opportunity for terrorism.
Andrew, ease up.
Shannon makes a good point in that we have to ask ourselves whats more important.
How are you going to feel if even one innocent dies as a result of the towns need for commerce ?
I’d rather the whole town subscribe to every entitlement they could get their hands on before we start housing these guys on American soil when we have the perfect location as it is.
Of course no one is willing to approach the wasted cost of 90 million to close it and the millions it cost to build it so we could only use it for 8 years.
I’ll bet the people of Thompson could use that money. It comes out to about 36,000.00 each.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Political grandstanding and demagoguery is fun!
Haha, see that’s why I like Bryan, he doesn’t take this stuff too seriously.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Yeah Andrew, I’m just swimming in money. How do you get from this story that I’m mocking the locals?
The whole jobs argument sounds political if anything. I doubt the politicians will seek the advice of people like you see in the video.
And by the way, this isn’t my ONLY job, so don’t talk to me about hard work and sitting on a high horse. Although when I do make it to the high horse I’ll be sure and let you know.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:01 am
We’ll all be waiting for you to get high on horse Shannon!
November 17th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
To TimV
They are the Nation of Kufr (i.e. Disbelief) not the Nation of Islam.
Farrakhan and the Nation of Kufr (i.e. disbelief) have nothing to do with Islam they believe in a prophet called Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole) who lived in the 20th century in America. The Muslims do not believe there will be any prophet or messenger after the Prophet Muhammad of 7th century Arabia (peace and blessings be upon him).
Also the Muslims do not believe that God incarnates into any of his creatures, not even into noble Prophets like Jesus or Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them both). Yet the Nation of Kufr believes that God incarnated into a white guy who was in the USA in the the early 20th century named Fard Muhammad.
The Nation of Kufr teaches racism and black supremacy, which is very odd since the man they say God incarnated into was a white dude! But the true Islam teaches us that the best of mankind to Allah are those who are the most pious and God-fearing and worshipful to the Lord, regardless of their race.
These are just a few examples of how the teachings of the Nation of Kufr differ with the teachings of Islam.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
To TimV
They are the Nation of Kufr (i.e. Disbelief) not the Nation of Islam.
Farrakhan and the Nation of Kufr (i.e. disbelief) have nothing to do with Islam they believe in a prophet called Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole) who lived in the 20th century in America. The Muslims do not believe there will be any prophet or messenger after the Prophet Muhammad of 7th century Arabia (peace and blessings be upon him).
Also the Muslims do not believe that God incarnates into any of his creatures, not even into noble Prophets like Jesus or Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them both). Yet the Nation of Kufr believes that God incarnated into a white guy who was in the USA in the the early 20th century named Fard Muhammad.
The Nation of Kufr teaches r*cism and black supremacy, which is very odd since the man they say God incarnated into was a white dude! But the true Islam teaches us that the best of mankind to Allah are those who are the most pious and God-fearing and worshipful to the Lord, regardless of their race.
These are just a few examples of how the teachings of the Nation of Kufr differ with the teachings of Islam.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
To TimV
They are the Nation of Kufr (i.e. Disbelief) not the Nation of Islam.
Farrakhan and the Nation of Kufr (i.e. disbelief) have nothing to do with Islam they believe in a prophet called Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole) who lived in the 20th century in America. The Muslims do not believe there will be any prophet or messenger after the Prophet Muhammad of 7th century Arabia (peace and blessings be upon him).
Also the Muslims do not believe that God incarnates into any of his creatures, not even into noble Prophets like the Son of Mary or Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them both). Yet the Nation of Kufr believes that God incarnated into a white guy who was in the USA in the the early 20th century named Fard Muhammad.
The Nation of Kufr teaches r*cism and black supr#macy, which is very odd since the man they say God incarnated into was a white dude! But the true Islam teaches us that the best of mankind to Allah are those who are the most pious and God-fearing and worshipful to the Lord, regardless of their r@ce.
These are just a few examples of how the teachings of the Nation of Kufr differ with the teachings of Islam.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
To TimV
All these fears are false non-sense. They said they would not even let people visit these prisoners. Also KSM is not set to be housed in Illinois in the first place. Also the Defense Department will be adminstering the portion of the Prison where the combatants are set to be held, according to the government. They will likely take every measure possible to try to prevent all these types of things you speak of.