Obama In Talks With Pacific Island of Palau to Take Uigher Gitmo Prisoners; Cost to You, the Taxpayer? A Mere Fifth of Billion Dollars

Two hundred million, that is, but everything in the Age of Obama is denominated in billions and trillions.

The Obama administration is in talks with the remote South Pacific island nation of Palau to resettle a group of Chinese Muslims now held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, The Associated Press has learned.

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A federal judge ordered them released, but an appeals court halted the order, and they have been in legal limbo ever since. Thus far no country has agreed to take any of of the 17.

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Palau, with a population of about 20,000, is an archipelago of eight main islands plus more than 250 islets that is best known for diving and tourism and is located some 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of the Philippines in the Pacific Ocean.

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Two of the officials said the U.S. was prepared to give Palau up to $200 million in development, budget support and other assistance in return for accepting the Uighurs.

The third official did not deny that a significant amount of money would be involved. But the official denied it would be a direct transfer to the Palau government.

Would not be a direct transfer. Oh, okay, it will be an indirect, disguised payment supposedly for other purposes, like a development grant. That makes so much difference to me. It's critically important to me that you call it something else. Because I'm a friggin' moron.

Wonderful. Everyone wins, right?

Thanks to AHFF Geoff.

posted by Ace at 05:23 PM

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