Gates downsized war-crimes trials locale

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates downsized a planned compound for war-crimes trials, telling Congress he thought the initial Pentagon plan for a $100 million facility was "ridiculous."

The trials are planned beginning this summer for an unspecified number - likely between 60 and 80 - of the approximately 390 terrorist suspects held at a prison compound at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. None has been charged with war crimes yet."

<snip>

"The originally proposed Guantanamo Bay courthouse compound, designed to accommodate as many as 1,200 people, would have created a total of three courtrooms to allow for multiple trials to be conducted simultaneously, and a separate high-security area to house the detainees facing trial, plus other support facilities.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Ca., a leading critic of the original construction plan, asked Gates at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday why the administration's latest budget requests did not include the $100 million. The plan had been made before Gates replaced Donald H. Rumsfeld as defense chief in December.

"It seemed to me that by the time I received it, the request was, I think, for $92 million and I basically said, `This is ridiculous,'" Gates said, adding that he was being "more candid than I probably should."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1152AP_Guantanamo_Trials.html

[maddezmom]

1. it is ridiculous

But I wonder if they already have a contractor and a contract?

[gratuitous]

2. Heck, the contract's probably already been paid

You know how the Defense Department likes to keep its contractors happy. And I know I'd be happy to get paid for work I never had to do!

[wordpix]

3. when will Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Wolfowitz, Perle and the rest be tried there?

:evilgrin: