British Angry About Uigher Transfer to Bermuda

Ay de mi: I didn't realize that DrewM. had already posted on the transfer to Bermuda. Consider this an update to his post.

Original Post:
Back in 2005, the military reclassified several Chinese Muslim detainees at Guantanamo Bay as NOT enemy combatants, but hung on to them because there was nowhere else to send them aside from China (which will probably torture and execute them). President Obama has been looking around for other countries to accept them. This morning, four were moved to Bermuda, a dependency of the UK, but no one thought to ask the British.

The British Government responded with ill-disguised fury tonight to the news that four Chinese Uighurs freed from Guantanamo Bay had been flown for resettlement on the Atlantic tourist paradise of Bermuda.

The four arrived on Bermuda in the early hours, celebrating the end of seven years of detention after learning that they were to be accepted as guest workers.

But it appears that the Government of Bermuda failed to consult with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the decision to take in the Uighurs – whose return is demanded by Beijing – and it could now be forced to send them back to Cuba or risk a grave diplomatic crisis.

Alright. Part of this is that the Brits are in perma-grouch mode when it comes to President Obama. He's done more to sour the U.S. special relationship than Bush 43 ever did. On the other hand, the UK retains sovereignty over Bermuda on issues of security and foreign policy. They could demand that we take the prisoners back or shuffle them off to another country. Either way, they've now got China on their case, courtesy of Obama.

posted by Gabriel Malor at 12:54 PM

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