Pentagon estimates put the cost of running Guantanamo Bay at over $900,000 per detainee, roughly 15 times the cost of keeping a prisoner at a US supermax prison, and roughly 30 times the average federal prison in the US.
That’s an awful lot of money to keep the 166 detainees in custody, particularly when one considers a number of them have already been cleared for release, and are simply being held indefinitely irrespective of that.
Officials explain the massive cost because the prison is in Cuba, and the US has no real relations with Cuba, so they have to ship everything to the prison on military aircraft.
The price tag could be rising precipitously in the near future as well, with the military having to rush 40 additional medical personal to the facility just to cope with the growing problems associated with a hunger strike, which over 100 detainees are participating in. Though the military has downplayed the number of detainees facing serious health risks, the sheer manpower required to force-feed them and treat them when they pass out is sure to add to the bottom line.
Of course if they sent the prisoners that Federal Judges have already ruled as not being legally incarcerated home most of that money would in fact be saved every year, that it would cost to send them home would be saved within weeks!
This whole question has become stupid. First, I don't believe the simply statement that it costs more to house the detainees more at Gitmo than if they were transferred to s stateside prison. I believe the writer is cheating with that conclusion. Next, the safety factor should be considered…there is no escaping from Gitmo. Isn't that the first principle to dictate housing them there? It utilizes property we own so why not use it. That has to be included into the equation. Housing them in the states would be more costly.
Now for the reason they are still there. An attempt was made to send back those who have been "forgiven" to their home country, but they have been rejected. That is not our problem. It does tell you these are bad people. I understand that the bleeding heart want them released in the States where they can then continue to cause problems for people. Many a convict has been released after doing his time a goes into the general public and causing some heinous crime where someone is killed or badly injured. Those that support this type of release should talk to family members whose lives have changed dramatically because a former convict cause them some irreparable harm, like loss of a loved one.
Or, just as they do when they released general convict, take them back from whence they came, give them the obligatory $ 10, pat on the back and tell them they are free and on they own. But no, you people want them to go on welfare, and be a burden to the state and live the life of leisure. They were put in jail for a reason so don't give me this Miranda stuff and proven guilty before trial. Then again you can take the position of The Savior who blames America for the problems in Mexico. An absolutely anti American position. It is no surprise because I don't consider him an American. This guy blows smoke up anybody's rear-end to knock America. This whole article is a bunch of garbage.
I've thought this over multiple times, and I can't understand what they're doing with that much money for a person that barely leaves a cell…. I mean, food, water adn medication don't cost that much, neither the electricity and other bills…