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US Offers $200M to Send Gitmo Inmates to South Pacific

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 9, 2009 2:50 PM CDT
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(Newser) – The US wants to resettle Uighur detainees held at Guantanamo Bay on the Pacific island nation of Palau, the AP reports. Palau, whose eight main islands lie 500 miles east of the Philippines, has strong ties to the US and depends on it for aid and protection. Daniel Fried, the envoy appointed by the Obama administration to administer the closing of Guantanamo, visited the country recently.

“We have spoken with the Palauans, but neither they nor we have made any decisions,” a US official said. Others said the US has offered $200 million in development funds to Palau in exchange for taking the Chinese Muslim detainees. The US will not give them back to China for fear that they will be held and tortured as terrorists.

Chinese Uighur Guantanamo detainees.
Chinese Uighur Guantanamo detainees.   (AP Photo)
The island of Babeldoab, the largest of Palau's more than 300 islands.
The island of Babeldoab, the largest of Palau's more than 300 islands.   (AP Photo)
Researchers in the South Pacific.
Researchers in the South Pacific.   (AP Photo)
Daniel Fried, the Obama administration's Gitmo pointman.
Daniel Fried, the Obama administration's Gitmo pointman.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 13 comments
Mr.C
Jun 10, 2009 7:45 AM CDT
everyone report this ass
Mr.C
Jun 10, 2009 7:40 AM CDT
@godawgs: wrong @ king:wrong The pentagon just released a report saying that one in seven released from Gitmo return to a terrorism network. They have not been 'cleared,' we won't let them go because they are still considered a threat. Not people to hand a plane ticket to go on vacation with.
godawgs
Jun 10, 2009 4:34 AM CDT
You shouldn't this is a simple solutoin. send them somewhere. but i guess you can blame him because why were these people picked up again?

On Fried
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South Pacific • Guantanamo Bay • detainees • Uighurs • Obama administration • Daniel Fried • Palau

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