Contrary to a Chicago Tribune report that 10th Congressional candidate Robert "Bob" Dold had split with the viewpoint of Congressman Mark Kirk and did not oppose the White House plan (supported by Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin) to ship former Guantanamo Bay terrorist suspects to the Thomson Illinois prison, Dold sent out a press release today denying that such was his position.
Here's the Dold press release:
Dold: Keep Terrorists out of Illinois Prisons
Republican Robert Dold (R-10) for Congress, is staunchly opposed to the White House’s proposal to transfer terrorists housed at Guantanamo Bay to an Illinois prison.
“I’m opposed to closing Guantanamo Bay—the U.S. spent $200 million on the facility and many of its initial issues have been corrected,” Dold said. “I, in no way, support the transfer of terrorists to a prison in Illinois.”
Dold continued, “My concern is not about terrorists escaping the maximum security facility, but about them receiving medical treatment at the North Chicago Military VA hospital, which is in the 10th Congressional District. I’m also concerned that relatives or acquaintances who visit them in prison could potentially become a security threat to our community.”
My stance on this issue has been consistent since it came to light, and is posted on the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board questionnaire:
http://elections.apps.chicagotribune.com/editorial/robert-dold/
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UPDATED: Backyard Conservative has a statement from 10th District candidate Dr. Arie Friedman (which appears to have been written before Dold sent out his press release above -- in fact, it may have helped prompt it, as you will see):
Arie Friedman stands firm against transferring GITMO prisoners to Illinois
Highland Park, IL - Candidate for Congress in the 10th District and former Naval Officer Arie Friedman today strongly rebuked his fellow candidates, Bob Dold and Dick Green, for telling the Chicago Tribune that housing jihadists in Illinois was not a problem. "I don't fear that they're going to escape from a maximum security, a super-max facility. That's not my concern," said Dold. "The choice to move prisoners to Illinois would be 'a reasonable approach to due process'" according to Green. Stated Friedman: "I am stunned and disappointed that my fellow Republicans can't see the bulls eye that will be placed on Chicago and the northern suburbs if Al-Qaida suspects are housed in Illinois. Take into account the large Jewish community and abundance of synagogues in the area - this would be a no-brainer target for Al-Qaida."
In an earlier statement Friedman expanded upon the issue: "Like Congressmen Manzullo and Kirk, I find it unacceptable for the federal government to bring these dangerous prisoners to our region. Additionally, I find it difficult to comprehend that our own governor would even consider the possibility that housing Gitmo prisoners in Illinois would represent a meaningful job creation opportunity. Bringing these enemy combatants to the region would not enhance our national interests or international standing. Rather, it would put the Thompson Correctional Center directly in the sights of terrorists the world over. Worse, the targeted communities would not be strictly limited to the immediate area around the prison. As far as the world is concerned, the Thompson prison is located in Chicagoland and all of us would be possible targets. Lastly, as a member of the Jewish community, I am surprised and disappointed that Governor Quinn does not understand that our synagogues and religious schools will be the specific targets of terrorists wanting to make an international statement. We do not need terrorists in the 10th District's backyard."
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13 comments:
Bob Dole was before transferring Gitmo prisoners before he was against it?
Anonymous, find me where Dold ever said he was against transferring prisoners. I can't find it anywhere? I suspect I can't because that has never been his position.
crapola, find me where he said he was "for" transferring prisoners. teehee.
They destroyed commander kirk last week because apparently these folks don't get these conjugal visits (office space reference) that dold is worried about. Dold needs to start playing varsity politics, realize that these folks won't get visits and that his flack is grassssping at straws, again.
In other news there have been multiple stories up on the tribune website about pup the magic dragon and mullah hamos. It appears pup wants us to go back to airstrikes against alqaeda (since that really worked for the clinton administration, dan) he probably didn't hear about 9-11, and julie wants to roll back the tax cuts so that Obama can spend all our money on desiree rogers parties and compensation to fired secret service agents.
FOKLAES
Check out Friedman's dig on Dold in P. Press.
he's looking for combat, it would seem. air to ground missile away.....
FOKLAES, to add to your criticism, supermax prisons have their own well-stocked and -staffed medical facilities. No prisoner would be treated at the Navy-VA Hospital. In fact, there's been some criticism of current health-care system because Gitmo detainees get significantly better health care than over 50 million American citizens.
So, the question is, if both of his stated policy objections amount to bupkis, why exactly is Dold against the transfer? It seems reasonable that one of his staffers, at the very least, should make an appearance here to defend his now totally and irrefutably debunked claims, along with the policy position based on these falsehoods.
Tikku,
If in fact, the Gitmo detainees are receiving top quality health care, then why transfer them here? They are well cared for, in a warm environment and away from the general public. Why fix something that is not broken?
Tikun,
If it were up to me we'd house them in hyde park, but it already has its fill of terrorits (ayres) and terrorist apologizers (jeremiah wright).
The best news is that catwoman has gone to war against mullah hamos. It appears pup the magic political failure can't fight his own fights and now has to hide behind the skirt of an extremist Israel hater.
FOKLAES
Anon 8:18-
We're closing Gitmo for two reasons. First, it's become a thorn in our side internationally as a recruiting tool for terrorists and a symbol of American clumsiness in the war on terror. Second, bringing the detainees to the United States forces us to deal with them definitively either through the civilian or military justice process, rather than the legal limbo of "enemy combatants." The point I was making was to mock Dold's bizzare assertion that detainees will get medical treatment at the Navy-VA hospital 150 miles from the prison.
Tikun,
Apparently they don't teach modern history at your vaunted alma mater.
1. 9-11 happened BEFORE gitmo as kid the bombings in kenya, tanzania, the complex in saudi arabia, the wto protests and on and on. NO AMERICANS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN DOMESTIC TERRORIST ATTACKS SINCE. we are safer with the bush era war on terror policies. Pup and mullah hamos should go play fetch and let the adults deal with these issues. Oh and Israel only started hating us AFTER obama got elected. Democrats from the 9th like tikun, mullah hamos and the pup need to stop getting their talking points from the arab street.
2. the 3,000 people that were killed on 9-11 were never in limbo, they just died. I am really not worried about a couple of suspected jihadists getting a nice vacation in gitmo.
3. Dold continues to be all talk and no walk, kind of like his old boss, Dan quayle.
4. if we had recruited reed bundy or ben lester we wouldn't have had to worry about any of this.
FOKLAES
Tikkunolam,
Please read this article which discusses the briefing legislators received stating that prisoners if sick would be treated at military hospitals. The closest military hospital happens to be in North Chicago in the 10th CD.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/1918423,CST-EDT-sweet03.article
You all are really silly.
You make it sound like Gitmo prisoners are supervillans from some Batman episode. You've all watched too many hollywood movies.
Yes, there is an issue of Illinois becoming a "PR target" and in the spotligh (like NYC being the world's financial center-- symbolism).
Candidates need to think through their responses and not just parrot briefers.
FOKLAS you aren't having a very good week, first the canard about the Coulson endorsement, an now being upstaged by Tikk. Sorry fella, maybe you need to get out of your mom's basement and get some freshair.
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