[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 83 (Thursday, June 4, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             GUANTANAMO BAY

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, one of our colleagues from Illinois was 
talking about their desire to have these detainees from Guantanamo Bay 
come into the United States for trial. Let me just suggest--I am not a 
lawyer, but I do know this: I have spent a lot of time down there. I 
know the situation. I know it is a resource that we have to have, that 
we have to keep. There is no justification at all for closing 
Guantanamo Bay. No justification. All we hear is: Well, this came at a 
time when there was suspected terrorism or torture of prisoners in 
other areas. But never at Gitmo. There hasn't been a documented case of 
torture that went on there. This is a resource we need.
  My friend from Illinois suggests bringing them to this country. The 
rules of evidence are different. These are not criminals, these are 
detainees. The proper place for them to be adjudicated is in the 
tribunals. The only place available right now is the tribunal that is 
set up in Gitmo.
  If we bring them to this country, under our laws, quite a few of 
those would actually be released. When they are released, they could be 
released into society. For those who say we need to use some 17 areas 
for incarceration in the United States, as opposed to using Gitmo, to 
incarcerate these people, that would become 17 magnets for terrorist 
activity in the United States.
  We have to get over this thing of everybody lining up and saying we 
have to close it. Guantanamo Bay is something we need, and we have to 
have it. There is not a pleasant alternative. It would cause the 
release of terrorists in the United States. If that is what the Senator 
from Illinois and the Democrats and the President want, they are going 
to find that virtually all Americans disagree with them.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio is recognized.

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