Thursday, August 19, 2021

A Worthwhile Use for Gitmo?

There seems to be a lot of bellyaching going on vis a vis the slowness with which visas can be issued to Afghan refugees (especially those who worked with/for the US occupation authorities) so that they can enter the United States.

Here's an idea:

At one time, at least, large numbers of refugees, especially Haitian refugees, were kept in camps at Guantanamo Bay until they could either be repatriated or admitted to the US.

Why not get those camps set back up and start flying un-visa-ed refugees there for the moment?

That would get them out of danger from e.g. Taliban retribution, and allow the US military to get the fuck out of Dodge more quickly, instead of drawing out its presence at the Kabul airport indefinitely while the paper-pushers screw around.

Of course, eliminating passport and visa requirements entirely (for everyone, not just Afghan refugees) would be faster, easier, and more moral, but it would also mean giving up control, which the political class never willingly does.

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