NYT/AP: U.S. Military Plans $125 Million Gitmo Legal Compound

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. Military Plans Gitmo Legal Compound
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 17, 2006

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The U.S. military on Friday said it plans to build a $125 million compound at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base where it hopes to hold war-crimes trials for terror suspects by the middle of next year.

The compound, designed to accommodate as many as 1,200 people, would include dining areas, work spaces and sleeping accommodations for administrative personnel, lawyers, journalists and others involved in trials at the isolated detention center in southeast Cuba.

It would create a total of three courtrooms on the base to allow for simultaneous trials, and a separate high-security area to house the detainees on trial.

''We need to build more courtrooms, and we want to do multiple trials,'' said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Chito Peppler, a Pentagon spokesman. He said the government hopes to begin construction as soon as possible to be ready for trials no later than July 1.

Human rights groups and foreign governments have called on the Bush administration to close Guantanamo, saying detainees are being held illegally, but the planned construction of new facilities underscores its permanence....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Guantanamo-War-Crimes-Compound.html

[villager]

1. why does this feel like it's not disconnected from the DU thread on expanded

background checks by the FBI, or rather, expanded access to same for all potential "employers," even for the most minor of "violations...?"

[gratuitous]

2. How are they going to build it without any money?

I don't recall this being mentioned in the military budget for 2007; where are they getting the money for this?

[Kagemusha]

3. The supplemental? The military commissions act?

Just saying possibilities

[gratuitous]

4. Well, they have a budget of over $1 billion every day

Just divert three hours' worth of funding, and presto!

Gosh, if only there was some governmental body, a legislative one perhaps, that had the power of the purse to deny funding for this. I seem to recall that once upon a time we had such a thing, but it's slipped my mind.

[Kagemusha]

6. They'd need to be given time to read a budget to find such a provision

Ah, those were the good days...

[Canuckistanian]

11. I believe there was a committee for this at one time

Overreach, overlook.... something like that....

[ThomCat]

8. And why the hell does it cost that much money?

There's no way they need more than a few modest sized buildings, and it's not like they're paying for real estate.

[ShortnFiery]

5. The whole concept of GITMO is wrong ...

Close that horrid place down! I'm so ashamed that we spirit people off to that "21st Century GULAG."

How did we, as Americans, disavow the FREEDOMS and MORAL COMPASS that many of our fore-parents have gifted us?

We are no better than third world countries that stage mass executions ... it's just that our killing and torture are put "under-wraps."

It's deplorable to everything we hold dear to our moral character: GITMO is an UN-AMERICAN INSTITUTION. :grr:

[enough]

7. k&r

[Gregorian]

9. I'm one of the Americans that is supposed to be protecting.

And it's being funded by money that I earned.


And I would much much rather have health care.


Besides, the Hague is good enough for Bush.

[Morgana LaFey]

10. This ought to be one of the first things that come up which

the Dems put their collective feet down about.

[OneBlueSky]

12. can you say "boondoggle?" . . . (I knew you could) . . . n/t

.

[w4rma]

13. We already have a justice system. I don't see the need for a replacement one. (nt)

[mom cat]

14. Another good reason to start impeachment for Bush/Cheney ASAP!