Dismayed by Durbin vote on Gitmo

It was great to see a bipartisan U.S. Senate voting 90-6 to deny funds to bring Guantanamo prisoners to the U.S. until President Obama first explains where he intends to put these heinous prisoners, and how he will protect us from them. That's a great message, don't you think? Let me assure you - you don't want these prisoners near where you live. Some friends, now in high civilian Pentagon positions, have told me how dreadful and dangerous these prisoners are - throwing feces and urine at Marine guards, biting them, etc. A recent New York Times report said 1 of 7 released prisoners go back to al-Qaida and resume killing our troops. One of the 6 Senators who voted to bring these scumbags near you without a good security plan was none other than Sen. Dick Durbin. Why would he disregard our safety for politics? Sen. James Webb (D-Va.), the de facto Democratic authority on national defense, wants the closing to be put on hold. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said no Gitmo inmates on American soil - not even in American jails. But not Dick Durbin - his vote said "bring 'em on in-we'll figure it out later." Durbin obviously thinks little of his constituents' security. His vote proves it. But he has five more years until re-election and is emboldened by that security for himself. He knows many people will forget about his past voting record when re-election time comes - after all, five years is a long time. I won't forget, and I hope you won't either. If I could, I would vote for putting some of these prisoners in Senator Durbin's Washington D.C. home, since he feels so strongly that they are not a personal threat to any of us.

Leonard R. Wass

Captain, USN (Ret.)

Oswego