A coterie of right-wing senators are trekking to Guantanamo today on “a fact-finding mission in response to President Obama’s executive order to close the prison.” The group — which includes Sens. David Vitter (R-LA), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Pat Roberts (R-KS) — will undoubtedly report back that the facility is vital for our national security and needs to remain open.
“I’ve always looked at (the prison) as being a real valuable asset,” Inhofe said in an interview before departing. Roberts, concerned that some Gitmo inmates might be moved to Ft. Leavenworth, said, “I am convinced these terrorists cannot and will not be housed in Kansas.” The alternative solution, proudly proclaimed by these senators, is to keep the prisoners at Guantanamo locked up indefinitely.
In an interview with Fox News on Saturday, Vitter repeatedly argued strongly in favor of indefinite detention:
We need the ability to deal with these folks adequately. To me, that has to include the ability to detain some — without trial — to continue proper interrogation. […]
I’d like to have Gitmo stay open. But certainly, we need detention facilities where we can detain dangerous terrorists without trial, continue to interrogate them.
Watch it:
ThinkProgress has previously documented — and debunked — the right-wing fondness for indefinite detention. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Fox News’ Charles Krauthammer and Fred Barnes have all argued in favor of indefinite detention.
Update:
The video is now working.