Gitmo retreat

To Congressman Jerry Moran for jumping on the Gitmo “not in my backyard” bandwagon. Ever since President Barack Obama ordered the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, legislators and city officials have been scurrying to pre-empt any plan that might transfer the detainees to their patch. But Kansas Republican Moran’s justification for why his state should be exempt is incredulous. He says a U.S. military fort is a poor choice to house the terrorist suspects. “Simply stated, Fort Leavenworth is a poor fit for placing Guantanamo detainees,” Moran told the House floor. AFJ agrees: It is a simple statement. The decision to close Gitmo — a scourge on American values and U.S. moral standing in the world’s eyes — is right. But it requires that an alternative, secure facility be found on U.S. soil. A U.S. military prison is an eminently suitable alternative.