Surprise: Senate Dems cancel funding to close Gitmo
posted at 1:38 pm on May 19, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Just like the House did a week ago. I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t grasp the politics of this initially because I didn’t think they’d cave so quickly to the pro-Gitmo side; after watching them cave on waterboarding after 9/11 and then the Iraq war, I should have known they’d buckle once another tough security decision landed on their desks.
They still want to close it — eventually, just like Jim Webb. They’re just suddenly wary of having hardcore terrorists in their own backyards — again, just like Jim Webb.
With debate looming on Obama’s spending request to cover military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the official says Democrats will deny the Pentagon and Justice Department $80 million to relocate Guantanamo’s 240 detainees…
It appears to be a tactical retreat. Once the administration develops a plan to close the facility, congressional Democrats are likely to revisit the topic, provided they are satisfied there are adequate safeguards.
The developments on Capitol Hill came as the Pentagon said it still expects the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be closed by January 2010 as Obama has ordered.
Credit Jim Inhofe for making the Dems choke on this by pushing legislation prohibiting the transfer of detainees to the U.S. Here he is on the scene at Gitmo in February.
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Thank you Sen. Inhofe.
myrenovations on May 19, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Hey look at how fiscally responsible the Democrats are! They just saved another $80 million!!
It’s just like another tax cut for us!!!
rbj on May 19, 2009 at 1:42 PM
“But bush did” Heh…
the_nile on May 19, 2009 at 1:43 PM
So now their position is the same as Bush’s, right? Or am I missing something?
BadgerHawk on May 19, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Can we use these “savings” to close the Capitol? Oh wait, same problem. I don’t want these people in my backayard.
WashJeff on May 19, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Surprised? As much as Democrats harp on against the Iraq War, Gitmo, etc etc, when they’re in charge, there is no way they would do things to politically harm themselves. That’s why they tried to hard to get President Bush to withdraw out of Iraq. There was no way Democrats would ever pull out of Iraq. As an example, as big anti-war as the Democrats were regarding Vietnam, they waited to let a Republican (Nixon) do it.
The same goes for Gitmo, and now, apparently, illegal immigration enforcement.
Weebork on May 19, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Almost. Bush wanted to fund Gitmo’s operations. Dems do not want fund its closing nor its operation. Plausable deniability on the campaign trail in 2010.
WashJeff on May 19, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Gosh, you’d almost think the Dems were using Gitmo and the war to score political jabs only!
PattyJ on May 19, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Another troll free thread
Sweet!
Nice343’s head explodes in 5….4…3
Knucklehead on May 19, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Isn’t it win-win for both Dems and the President?
Republicans won’t get any credit in this.
Sir Napsalot on May 19, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Sounds like a new campaign strategy. Vote for the GOP nomination for president. We will let you feel your protesting forced us to close Gitmo….then reverse all the crap coming down the pike the next four years
WashJeff on May 19, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I’m tired of being the bad guy (read, “Republican”), but if that’s what it takes to be right, then fine.
bluelightbrigade on May 19, 2009 at 1:49 PM
They’re all over in the “Missing Link” thread, I’m sure…
bluelightbrigade on May 19, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Oh well… I guess we’ll just have to be satisfied with not having our throats slit by the tax-payer financed Terrorist Next Door program.
myrenovations on May 19, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Bush’sObama’s WarBush’sObama’s GuantanamoBush’sObama’s DeficitThe transformation is complete.
portlandon on May 19, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Thank you Lord, I don’t want terrorist on American soil. I don’t want Marines constantly tasked with guarding this scum either so Jim Webb needs to come up with a workable time table. Why punish Marines with this open ended thankless duty?
Dr Evil on May 19, 2009 at 1:52 PM
All that remains is for Obama to keep troops in Iraq past June and he’s just like Bush… except he spends 30 times as much.
Skywise on May 19, 2009 at 1:52 PM
They are so frugal. They can’t spend money on anything. The deep budget cuts from the dems hurt but it is a good hurt.
seven on May 19, 2009 at 1:53 PM
“you mean we get the blame now if something goes wrong???”
//donk
sven10077 on May 19, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Just as Chris Wallace used a simulation of the 24 clock to mark the time between, I believe, Obama’s promise to appear on Wallace’s show and Obama’s eventual appearance, Fox News, Hot Air, or someone should run a similar clock starting with either Obama’s inauguration or some other date of a meaningless promise to the date Gitmo closes.
The clock could be named the “From Here to Eternity” clock.
BuckeyeSam on May 19, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Change you can beli….psyche!
CDeb on May 19, 2009 at 1:58 PM
BTW: who says Obama’s not cutting back on spending?
/s
BuckeyeSam on May 19, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Obama already got his phony photo-op, so no big deal what happens now.
“Is there a, uh, separate executive order, Greg, with respect to how we’re gonna dispose of the detainees…”
forest on May 19, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Awesome! Liberals, put that in your bong and smoke it!
kirkill on May 19, 2009 at 2:02 PM
This is becoming the Bush was right year. I wish Bush would come out and call for Obama to apologize.
Tremmy on May 19, 2009 at 2:03 PM
The Democrats didn’t want the blame if some of the Gitmo detainees got loose in the States and killed Americans.
Of course, Obama and the Democrats played to their “base” in saying how horrible it was to imprison them without trial, but if nobody wants them in the States, the only way to “try” them is with military tribunals.
Then what if one of them gets convicted and sentenced to death? We could have avoided all that expense and shot him on the battlefield instead of taking him prisoner?
And what if one of them is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment? Does that mean we keep Gitmo open until he dies of old age?
Which begs the question–how is this different from what George W. Bush would have done?
Steve Z on May 19, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Hahahaha, I knew it!
OneGyT on May 19, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Gitmo will never be closed, just relocated. Probably to somewhere like an airbase in Afghanistan.
DarkKnight3565 on May 19, 2009 at 2:05 PM
When you have your personal running dogs in charge of the media, you can’t do anything wrong. Maintain your campaign position and you are “resolute”, change to your opponent’s position and you are “realistic”. It’s like a bottomless bag of magic beans. It’s all useless when disaster strikes, of course, unless you count shifting blame as useful, which Dems do.
drunyan8315 on May 19, 2009 at 2:05 PM
They promised Change, welling changing is exactly what we’re getting.
youngO on May 19, 2009 at 2:07 PM
Totally different , they have renamed almost every policy and process..
the_nile on May 19, 2009 at 2:07 PM
Funding is delayed until there is a plan to execute.
Perfectly reasonable.
Obama is not continuing Bush policies.
He is orchestrating graceful degradation of service, or adaptive phase-out if you prefer.
Systems analyst speak.
strangelet on May 19, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Bush couldn’t be bothered to defend himself when he was in office. Why bother now?
His inability or unwillingness (or both) to mount a vigorous defense of these reasonable and effective policies were the greatest failure of his administration.
Bruno Strozek on May 19, 2009 at 2:12 PM
The record shows that I supported keeping terrorists in GITMO.
The record also shows that I supported the closure of the repugnant facility known as GITMO.
This gives me the ability to speak with moral authority at the VFW and a CODE PINK rally on the same day.
/signed/
Democrat elected official
BobMbx on May 19, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Nifty idea. They get 350,000 dollars a head relocation expenses. You all realizer relocation reimbursement is taxable income to the extent it exceeds 10,000 dollars? goody. Justice is served.
I am not being judgemental, but isn’t 350,000 a little steep for relo per person?
Why not a raft from sustainable old growh dead trees like the other cubans used?
seven on May 19, 2009 at 2:13 PM
So are they tactically retreating to Okinawa?
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on May 19, 2009 at 2:16 PM
It might be reasonable on the part of Congress.
But, The Wizard of Ahs issuing an executive order to close Gitmo without a plan is not perfectly reasonable. It was a lame ploy to stroke the leftists, and Congress has had to quash it like he knew they would. It was disingenuous at best.
forest on May 19, 2009 at 2:17 PM
“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”.
Rebar on May 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Well, except for the aptly-named strangelet, they must be where what they really are… the missing link between apes and rational people.
either orr on May 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM
We must blame Bush, for this. After all, this issue has caused headaches, stress, indecision, confusion, and political angst among the democrats, and for forcing them to follow the Bush hand book, on how to handle foreign terrorists, not wanted on American soil.
Curses to you Bush.
I bet before the end of the day, or week, someone somewhere, will pin this on Bush. *rolling eyes*
capejasmine on May 19, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Fixed.
portlandon on May 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Perhaps it’s the preening hour? LOL
capejasmine on May 19, 2009 at 2:31 PM
I don’t. I like my Bush with class.
(Take that any way you want to…)
bluelightbrigade on May 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM
If we had a whole congress of guys like Inhofe just think what we could accomplish.
scalleywag on May 19, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Someone isn’t willing to fall on the sword for their beliefs. How telling. And utterly predictable.
TheUnrepentantGeek on May 19, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Don’t kid yourself, there, Tron. It’s a stall tactic in a political game.
It’s okay to admit that. Behind closed doors, the Democratic leadership is.
bluelightbrigade on May 19, 2009 at 2:35 PM
or his a$$, whichever you prefer.
scalleywag on May 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM
The One still comes out with his ass covered. He pleased the nutroots with his decree to close Gitmo. Now he can blame Congress for not coming through with the funding. Never mind that he didn’t lean on the Dem leaders to follow through. The media will cover for him.
Mallard T. Drake on May 19, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Ah what else can the Democrat Led Congress NOT fund because I have a suggestion list.
Dr Evil on May 19, 2009 at 2:44 PM
this just give BO cover for not closing Gitmo, he can tell his supporters he tried. more gamesmanship from the dims.
la.rt.wngr on May 19, 2009 at 2:51 PM
IF we could return to truly following the US Constitution, Congress wouldn’t need to be here for such long sessions each year, and they’d be freed up to return to their districts/states to spend MORE time learning what all these laws do to the average American. TERM LIMITS is one key to rolling back the bloated Federal Government.
Red State State of Mind on May 19, 2009 at 3:04 PM
As tempted as I am to make ajoke, I won’t. I do wish W had defended himself while in office but it just doesn;t seem to be in his political DNA. During these past eight years, others COULD have and SHOULD have been more vehement in challenging all the crazy, nasty things said about him and his Administration. Personally, I admore Bush for staying silent now. Republicans still active in the political process should step up, but where are they?
This country would embrace any one man or woman who seized this opportunity NOW and started debunking all the follish accusations made then and now against Republicans, and specifically against Conservatives. This can be accomplished on a daily basis without neing mean; some wit and humor would go a long way in reaching many Americans with common sense answers/responses.
Red State State of Mind on May 19, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Sen. Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) spoke recently from the Senate floor for 30-minutes. Get his thorough synopsis of EACH current concern under legislation and funding on his website’s Youtube.
maverick muse on May 19, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Sure…something like “Dis-enfranchised Minority Criminal Rehab, Training and Transistion Facility”, formerly known as GITMO.
BobMbx on May 19, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Whatever it takes, to get you thru the day.
Let’s assume this isn’t continuing Bush policies. So what do we call it, when Obama goes of half cocked, and makes a major decision to close Gitmo, almost immediately after he takes his oath, and within a few weeks, he knows he has to renege on that deal?
Illprepared? Inexperienced? Arrogant? Pompous? Clueless?
Take your pick, or all of the above.
capejasmine on May 19, 2009 at 3:20 PM
Their commie faces should be as red as an orangutan’s ass.
jeff_from_mpls on May 19, 2009 at 3:36 PM
They never believed that Gitmo needed to be closed. They just wanted to get back into power. Nothing if off limits for the Dems, even treason, to get back into power.
promachus on May 19, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Keep telling yourself that, if you like, but most people can see that it’s exactly as Bush intended: The facility will be phased-out as the inmates die.
mr.blacksheep on May 19, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Whatever dries the dears, darlin’, whatever dries the tears.
ladyingray on May 19, 2009 at 4:15 PM
No, he is continuing Cheney policies.
Del Dolemonte on May 19, 2009 at 5:00 PM
strangelet:
I bet you believe in the tooth fairy too.
Of course Obama is continuing Bush policies. If all these people were just innocent lambs he could close down Gitmo tomorrow.
Obama is finding out that running the country is more difficult than running his mouth.
Terrye on May 19, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Another laugh at the stupid RAT party. So OBungler realized that the round wheel that the Bush administration made on Gitmo, didn’t need reinventing! Will miracles ever cease to exist!
byteshredder on May 19, 2009 at 8:34 PM
I wonder how the leftys are reacting and spinning this…
4shoes on May 19, 2009 at 10:28 PM
What are they going to do, keep Gitmo open until the inmates die of old age?
This after slandering President Bush on this for the past five years.
Never underestimate the incompetence, corruption and complete jackassery of absolutely worthless, Democrat politician scum.
Democrats will sink lower than this, they always do.
And so will the idiots who support them.
NoDonkey on May 20, 2009 at 9:41 PM
not that most here would have forgotten but the Dems have controlled Congress for almost 2.5 years… I know the trolls like Nice etc pretend it ain’t so but it is so.
Jamson64 on May 20, 2009 at 10:44 PM
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