Blulitespecial sent us this story about the brewing storm over Obama’s promise to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba housing hundreds of Islamic fanatics captured in the war on terror. Already the rush is on to stop their move to one of three locations—one in South Carolina, another in Kansas and the third in California. Read all about the maneuvers to keep them out of someone’s backyard.
This is what I was interested in because I believe that in my earlier reading on the issue it was suggested that those who might be released into the US would be treated as asylees. Asylees are treated the same as refugees and get all the same perks and special treatment: a volag (supposedly volunteer agency) will place them in a city, a caseworker will be assigned to help them find a job. Their initial apartment will be subsidized housing, and they will get food stamps, initial medical care, English language lessons and so forth.
One complexity is that the U.S. government has cleared more than 60 of the Guantanamo detainees for release, but the governments of other countries where they have lived don’t want to accept them.
Kind of tells you something if their own governments don’t want them back. Be prepared for Obama’s change you can believe in.
We have written on several occasions about the first group, the Chinese Muslims (Uighers), considered for release here.