Outcry! Detainees Coming to VA?

From Adam Bitely:

Bob McDonnell, a professional politician (his full time job is being a candidate for Governor), is in the middle of running a typical fear campaign. Every candidate from the two major political parties does at least one of these fear campaigns every election cycle.

If you live in Virginia, as I do, you would know that Bob McDonnell is currently raising campaign money off the fear of Guantanamo Detainees potentially being moved to Virginia. Remember, McDonnell is a full time politician, so if you send him money because of this it won’t do anything to help stop this from happening. While McDonnell has failed to mention that none of these people have actually been charged with any crime (which is a problem in and of itself), he is trying to use this potential move of “suspects” as a cash cow for his campaign (he is advertising this crap on Drudge report).

Here is some info on Guantanamo Detainees that people who are as concerned as McDonnell is should see. Please educate yourselves before falling for the political drivel from a licensed member of the only legalized profession of con aristry (the political class).

Guantánamo in numbers

Jan. 11, 2009 marks 7 years since the first detainees were transferred to Guantánamo.

Nearly 800 detainees have been held in Guantánamo

Approximately 300 detainees of around 30 nationalities were still held without charge or trial in November 2007. Nearly 100 of them were Yemenis.

Only one Guantánamo detainee has been convicted by military comission- David Hicks in March 2007. He pleaded guilty to “providing material support for terrorism” under a pretrial agreement that ensured his release from US custody after five years and return to his native Australia to serve a nine-month prison term.

As of November 2007, 3 detainees had been charged for trial by military commission.

Detainees have been taken into custody in more than 10 countries before being transferred to Guantánamo without any judicial process.

At least 4 men are reported to have died in Guantánamo as a result of suicide. Dozens more suicide attempts have been reported.

Detainees have been taken into custody in more than 10 countries before being transferred to Guantánamo without any judicial process.

An analysis of around 500 of the detainees concluded that only 5 per cent had been captured by US forces; 86 per cent had been arrested by Pakistani or Afghanistan-based Northern Alliance forces and turned over to US custody, often for a reward of thousands of US dollars.

Hundreds of people remain detained without charge, trial or judicial review of their detentions at the US air base in Bagram, Afghanistan.

An unknown number of people have been held in secret CIA custody. At least three dozen people believed to have been held in secret remain unaccounted for their fate and whereabouts unknown

And from Jim Harper at Cato @ Liberty:

Though I’m not a Virginia resident or voter, nor a donor to politicians, Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (whose party affiliation I’m not aware of) has added me to his email list. His name is similar to a past roommate, and that affinity has caused me to open more of his emails than I ordinarily would.

Today’s is worth writing about: It’s a political candidate transparently trying to scare voters and use their fear for fundraising.

Dear Jim,

Terror suspects could be headed to Virginia…

With the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay the federal government must find new locations in which to house and try the roughly 240 terrorist suspects currently held 90 miles from our shores. Recent news reports indicate that the Department of Justice is considering transferring a number of the detainees to the Commonwealth of Virginia. One specific location: Alexandria. And other Virginia locations could be possibilities as well.

There are security details to be worked out when prisoners are transferred out of Guantanamo Bay, but the prisoners themselves are not dangerous as such. They’re prisoners, and they will always be under heavy guard. Terrorists are not radioactive, and they do not have lasers built into their eyes.

The problems with housing prisoners in the past have been over-the-top security precautions that make a great show but don’t necessarily meet actual security problems associated with housing terror suspects.

Bills have been introduced to bar detainees from being transferred to various states.

A precious few Americans have exhibited cool in this fear-of-detainees brouhaha. Alexandria Sheriff Dana A. Lawhorne is quoted in this Washington Post article, at least saying “he would do what he can: ‘You can’t run the other way when your country calls.’”

But McDonnell, the politician seeking a prominent leadership position in the state, would “lead” by pretending that captured terrorists are too big a security risk for Virginia. It’s shameful fear-mongering meant to capitalize on the ignorance and weakness of Virginians who don’t understand terrorism. The only links in the text of the email are to the fundraising page on McDonnell’s Web site.

McDonnell exhibits leadership malpractice with this kind of campaigning.

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