U.S. to Build Cuba Migrant Center - Democratic Underground

Mika

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Wed May-09-07 08:31 AM
Original message

U.S. to Build Cuba Migrant Center

Source: Guardian UK

The United States, which has been planning for possible waves of fleeing Cubans when Fidel Castro dies, has hired a Florida company to build a temporary complex to hold migrants at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, the military said.

Islands Mechanical Contractors Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., has won a $16.5 million contract to build a ``migrant operations complex'' at the base, a U.S. enclave in eastern Cuba, the U.S. Defense Department said.

The fenced complex would include showers and laundry facilities and is to be finished by May 2008, according to a Defense Department publication that announces contracts.

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The contract announcement did not specify that the complex would be for Cuban migrants, but Navy officials told The Associated Press in January that they were preparing for a potential Cuban exodus because of Castro's health problems and would hold migrants at Guantanamo, where the U.S. also has detained about 380 men on suspicion of links to al-Qaida or the Taliban.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6618312,00.html

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TechBear_Seattle

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Wed May-09-07 09:14 AM
Response to Original message

1. So would this be a ghetto or a concentration camp? n/t

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donsu

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Wed May-09-07 10:02 AM
Response to Original message

2. why would Cubans want to 'escape' to a fenced in camp?

something seems fishy

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slackmaster

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Wed May-09-07 03:29 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. The grass grows greener over the septic tank on the other side of the fence

:shrug:

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sutz12

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Wed May-09-07 10:14 AM
Response to Original message

3. Why do we have to rely on the foreign press for news like this?

It sucks not being able to trust our own press to give us the real news. :shrug:

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Crunchy Frog

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Wed May-09-07 11:41 AM
Response to Original message

4. So they're going to go running off with their tails between their legs

after Castro dies? What a bunch of fucking cowards. Why the hell does this country keep throwing resources at these people.:grr:

I would have a good deal more respect for them if they would stay in their own country to try to address its problems, rather than running off and going onto the government teat in this country.

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tanyev

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Wed May-09-07 03:29 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. No, that's what the Bush administration thinks is going to happen,

so it's pretty much guaranteed to be wrong. Maybe the big waves will be all the Cubans who live here that want to go back.

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Judi Lynn

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Wed May-09-07 03:41 PM
Response to Reply #7

8. The stumbling block for Cuban "exiles" returning to Cuba is the United States' travel ban.

At various times up until _{George W. Bush} they have had more relaxed travel restrictions, and came and went almost freely.

_Bush is the one who slammed the door shut on them. Now they can only go home once ever 3 years, with absolutely no exceptions, not even the illness or death of a parent, and _Bush has closed the door altogether to their ability to visit aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, nephews, neices, etc.

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tanyev

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Wed May-09-07 03:45 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. I would assume they'd immediately start talking about lifting that once Castro dies.

They'd be stupid not to. (Stupid to do it in the first place, but that's another story)

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Crunchy Frog

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Wed May-09-07 06:27 PM
Response to Reply #8

10. I'm in favor of the travel ban for Cuban "exiles".

Or rather, I'm opposed to the travel ban, but as long as it's in force, I think it should apply to everyone in this country equally, and there should be no one with special privileges.

If these people are truly "political refugees" escaping "government persecution", then there is no way in hell that they should be going back into the lion's den. If they want to live in the US, but travel freely to Cuba to visit family and friends, then I can't see the justification of calling them political refugees and giving them all kinds of special privileges that no one else has.

I'm fed up to the gills with these Cubans who want to keep everybody else in this country from traveling to Cuba, but then whine when they themselves are restricted in their own travel. Travel restrictions should apply absolutely across the board, with no exceptions.

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Mika

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Wed May-09-07 09:37 PM
Response to Reply #10

11. The hard line exiles are in the minority.

A majority of Cuban expats want the travel restriction to be ended.

The US corporate press gives all of the attention to the minority of extremists who don't speak for the majority (especially the younger generation). The majority of recent arrival Cuban migrants are here looking for more economic opportunities than they have at home, just like the vast majority of immigrants from all over the Caribbean and Latin Americas.

Aside from that, I agree with you. Equal protection under the law. :thumbsup:

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rodeodance

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Wed May-09-07 03:16 PM
Response to Original message

5. bet it is for any and all "migrants"

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