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Lest We Forget, Redux
By lindamuralidharan on 2020-12-11 04:52:02
Yes, "redux", only this time it is about a different issue that belongs in the "out of sight, out of mind" category. When
reminded, many Americans recognize the albatross around our necks, that is the prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. If it's
not in the news or nobody reminds, us, how often do we think about this nearly intractable problem? For some years now,
there have only been 40 prisoners left there out of hundreds that had been incarcerated as a result of George W. Bush
policies. The legacy of these policies and obstructionists blocked former President Obama's efforts to close the place down.
[caption id="attachment_ 14851" align="alignright" width="600"]
Part of prison at Guantanamo
Naval Base[/caption] We are wasting untold millions of tax payers' money to house these persons. It is always tricky to find
a place to repatriate them and have a degree of confidence they will not turn to efforts to attack the US upon release.
However, I have not seen evidence that we have suffered to any significant extant at the hands of those previously released.
I do seem to recall that a few had been joining or attempting to join a hostile group engaged in anti American activities. I
believe rational people do not believe there has been a risk commensurate with the injustices we perpetuate or the huge
waste of money or the damage to our international reputation that retention of Guantanamo in US hands, as a prison, causes.
I had a vague recollection of our earlier history there before the post 9/11 wars of choice in the Middle East, but this week I
delved a little deeper in that history. Back in 2017 there was quite a bit of talk of finally closing the base, especially since
there was publicity about the $66 million school that was planned for children of employees there. It was contracted in 2016
but I didn't actually find verification of its having been built. A NPR expose of waste at the base stated we had spent 6
billion and counting in the years since we set up the prison at the naval bae.. Cuba has wanted us gone for many years.
Looking back we are reminded that the US helped Cuba expel colonial Spain and then didn't want to leave the island
entirely ourselves. In 1903 we coerced the Cuban government into signing an agreement that we could have land for a
coaling station ($2000 rent) and that we could interfere in the affairs of Cuba any time we want. [caption
id="attachment_14852" align="alignleft" width="220"] Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,
prisoner at Guantanamo[/caption] We wanted a coaling station in the area and a place to launch any other actions we might
choose to take in our desire to control the region in general. From the beginning of the Fidel Castro regime, Cuba has
become more insistent that we leave and no longer cash that $2000 yearly check that we pay them in rent. Of course, they
do not have the power to force us out even though international law does not recognize our agreement as legal. One former
Congressman (Alan Grayson) said, "This is almost colonialism". Almost? It certainly seems to me this has been a US
colony for over one hundred years. Whether some hundreds of prisoners are housed there (along with civilian and military
employees) or just the 40 prisoners that have been there for some time now, the cost of keeping that excessively large huge
base going is huge. Chartered and military planes carry people back and forth all the time since there are no scheduled
commercial flights. It is very expensive to provide air conditioning and other forms of maintenance to buildings and
equipment in such a hot and humid climate. [caption id="attachment_ 14853" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
War Court Headquarters at
Guantanamo Bay[/caption] There is the cost of all the personnel, and the added cost of the waste an inefficiency that NPR
and others have reported on. We do provide the equivalent of military level public defenders for the prisoners facing death
sentences and overall court costs there are high. When it comes to debates about closing the place there are many issues
related to the prisoners and their varied charges. For years many of us called for the prisoners, at least certain ones, to be
relocated to the mainland and tried and housed here. Many less than compelling reasons have been put forth against that,
and for the most part it appears to be really a matter of bias toward the background and religion of the prisoners. NPR
documented complaints from certain staff (two of whom were fired for speaking out about better policies) claiming that
money would be saved and justice served by negotiating plea deals with a number of the current 40 detainees, but that idea
was squashed. Aside from direct waste of all kinds, it looks to me like some people like their cushy jobs which would go
away if the base closed. They can easily play on prejudicial sentiments of American officials and the public at home to be
sure the base is kept open and many jobs continue. Rational people from human rights groups and other places have long
said this quasi legitimate way of handling people that were to a degree "war prisoners" was inhumane, unjustifiable, and a
blot on America's reputation. Many readers will also remember that among the overall number of detainees, there were
youth who were basically children and those who did nothing wrong but were turned in by other people who had
resentments against them or were paid a bounty for turning them in. The remaining cases are complex in many ways but the
solutions are not insurmountable. Are we in the mood to change many things at the national level? Are we in the mood to
say the bipartisan war and foreign policies of the past were not so great? Mnnn..any Republicans left out there that would
like to reduce government spending?
