It looks like the Obama administration has finally found a home for the 17 Uighurs detained at Gitmo. According to the Associated Press, the small Pacific Island of Palau is reportedly taking some or all of the 17 Uighurs in exchange for $200 million. If true, this raises a few obvious observations and questions.
First, it says much about how poorly the effort to close Gitmo is going that no nation, other than an island resort nation that is heavily dependent on aid from the U.S., is willing to take the Uighurs. The Obama administration considered the Uighurs the easiest bunch of detainees to relocate. But Canada, European nations, and others have rejected the Obama administration's various proposals to take them. If the Uighurs cannot be easily relocated, what will come of other detainees that the Obama administration does not want to try or detain?
Second, $200 million is a steep price. At that rate, the Obama administration is willing to pay almost $12 million per Uighur if Palau takes all 17 Uighurs. How much will the Obama administration pay to nations in exchange taking other detainees, who may be more worrisome? Is $12 million the going rate? Will the Obama administration pay more to nations that are willing to take detainees with even more troubling terrorist dossiers?
Editor: A friend emails:
Shouldn't there be an open and transparent bidding process for these Uighurs? Perhaps the Obama administration could save taxpayer money by finding some people willing to take Uighurs for less than $12 million apiece. The Weekly Standard, for example, might be willing to take one for $11 million.
