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Politics a Player in Prison Debate

By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Nov 24, 2009 at 7:40 PM CDT

Story Updated: Nov 24, 2009 at 7:40 PM CDT

IOWA CITY (AP) - It didn't take long for proposals to house Guantanamo Bay detainees at a nearly empty Illinois prison to
spark tough talk by Republicans - across the Mississippi River in
Iowa.

Rep. Steve King claims the plan would lead to a "terrorist enclave" near Iowa. And Rep. Tom Latham has introduced legislation prohibiting the transfer of the detainees to Iowa, Illinois and nine other Midwestern states.

Sen. Charles Grassley says he understands why Iowans would be worried about the plan.

Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Bruce Braley have focused more on potential jobs.

Drake University political science professor Dennis Goldford says the proposal by President Barack Obama raises significant questions, but he fears politics are getting in the way of seriously examining the plan.

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