Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback said they believe Fort Leavenworth is probably off the list as a replacement site for terrorist detainees from Guantanamo.
As a result, the Kansas Republicans have dropped the roadblocks that they erected to filling several key posts in the Obama administration.
They had placed the legislative holds because of concerns that President Obama might select the fort when it closes the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba., which it has pledged to do in January
The nominations are for appointees to posts in the Defense and Justice departments. Chief among them was Republican Rep. John McHugh of New York, President Obama’s choice for secretary of the Army.
In a statement, Brownback and Roberts indicated they were satisfied with the outcome of their talks with the administration about Fort Leavenworth.
“We believe that the administration has a good understanding of obstacles and concerns and is giving them proper consideration,” they said. ”We are confident that because of this good faith dialogue, detainees will not be transferred to Fort Leavenworth.”
10 Comments
The Nation can now breathe a collective sigh of relief, the hayseeds won’t be responsible for their detention! Way to go Pat, you NIMBY son of a gun!
If thar’s one thing more important that letting the country have a Secretary of the Army during a war, it’s parochial politics! Go getem Marine!
Kansas wins. Thank you Roberts and Brownback!
Does this mean I can finally throw my plastic and duct tape into the trash can?
Pat Roberts and Sam Brokeback don’t believe Kansans can guard Terrorist detainees? That is a slap in the face of the Kansas military.
it says they believe. that is not a definite. still dont trust the current administration. because THEY LIE! probably off the list doesnt meant total closure.
Whoa there folks you have to read what they said “they believe Fort Leavenworth is probably off the list”. That is kinda like well they haven’t said Fort Leavenworth was on the list, so just maybe it might maybe be off the list. Neither of those two guys could give a straight answer to any question.
Speaking of liars both of these people swallowed the WMD in Iraq hook line and sinker.
If we had dembot congressmen, you can bet they would have been all for it in hopes they could get a coveted attaboy from Osama.
Yea, an attaboy, and a Tanker contract! Instead they both loved Mccain the Wichita jobs killer.
I’m sorry that some people see this as more a matter of pride than security in the community. I don’t think that anyone doubts that our military personnel at Leavenworth can guard the detainees from GITMO. The concerns are that families of the detainees will be moving into and out of and about the Leavenworth, Kansas area. And people of that particular brand of mindlessness are prone to extreme acts in protest of what they percieve to be an injustice. They are not above harming an innocent population just in protest. They do it everyday in the middleeast. Besides, I still don’t understand why we’re closing GITMO and relegating virtually brand new facilities to waste (just because some military and CIA personnel argueably conducted improper interrogation procedures a couple of years ago). And, in addition, I have been to both GITMO and Leavenworth. If I were a military prisoner and I had to be locked up somewhere, I’d choose GITMO over Leavenworth anyday. (Sorry if that hurts your pride, Leavenworth.)