U.S. lawmakers blast Guantanamo’s $2.7 million per prisoner cost

[Galraedia]

Source: Raw Story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic lawmakers pushing to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay said on Wednesday its cost has skyrocketed to $2.7 million per inmate this year and argued it is too expensive to keep open while the country is fighting budget deficits.

“This is a massive waste of money,” Senator Dianne Feinstein said during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the base.

Guantanamo has been dubbed the most expensive prison on Earth, and President Barack Obama in May cited its cost – then calculated at about $900,000 per prisoner – as one of many reasons to close it.

Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, testified during the hearing that the current cost of operating the facility has jumped to $454 million in the fiscal year ended September 30, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, or about $2.7 million for each of the 166 inmates.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/25/u-s-lawmakers-blast-guantanamos-2-7-million-per-prisoner-cost/

[Sancho]

1. This is nuts!

[Sunlei]

2. 2.7 million per prisoner, thrown into private contractors pockets.

we could put them up at the ritz penthouse for less.

[Arctic Dave]

6. No kidding.

More evidence that the WoT is a complete scam and was designed to bankrupt the US as it enriched the few.

[TheLion]

3. George Bush's mistakes

The gifts that keep on giving.

Maybe Republicans will allow Obama to close the place now - they seem to react to hits in the wallet.

[Brigid]

9. Hits in the wallet are the only thing the GOP reacts to.

$$$$$$$ is the only thing they understand.

[City Lights]

4. Pssst, GOPers looking to cut spending...

...start here!

[L0oniX]

5. Millitary pork is what this is. Average prison cost per person (yea they are people) $35k in the US

Silly government ...ripping off its own people ...and silly people letting them do it. Oh yea and ...Obama epic fail! Don't tell us you are going to do something and then act like you didn't know you didn't have the power to do it and pass the blame on.

[blackspade]

7. Again, it comes down to a money argument

rather than doing what is right.
What a cop-out.

[The Stranger]

8. "Terrorism" trumps all.

It is a complex psychological, behavioral, and sociological phenomenon involving fear, the media, corporations, and government.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. And it's up to CONGRESS to close it

by providing the last funding piece required to decommission it and bring materiel and personnel home. And it has been CONGRESS that has refused to do it to date while they whine about where to put the prisoners or other bullshit.

Just do it.

[markparham]

11. markparham

the television stations should talk about this everyday instead of royal baby news

[link:http://www.markparhampolitics.com