FORT SMITH The city's board of directors is saying 'heck no' to Gitmo. Arkansas' second largest city is the latest to pass a resolution saying they do not want detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba held here. Just last week the Oklahoma House passed a similar resolution...as did the state's senate the week before.
The fear for states and municipalities is that when the terrorist prison at Guantanamo is closed, the inmates will be incarcerated somewhere in the states. Fort Smith Director Dr. Cole Goodman says he put forth the resolution because of past history at Fort Chaffee. The Arkansas National Guard base was once an active army base and held thousands of German POW's during World War II. In 1980 the fort housed Cuban refugees who incited riots and made many River Valley residents afraid.
Director Goodman says the city doesn't want to go through that again. He told 5NEWS that Fort Smith doesn't want to be the last one making a statement about this; they want to be one of the first on record. Still, Goodman admits that their resolution will likely have little impact on any decision the military might make.
Mayor Ray Baker is also on board with the board's decision to support the resolution.
"Remember these people are individuals that would hurt us and some of them who have been released because you know of different things, technicalities, have gone right back over to the battlefield in the middle east where they were fighting and have killed American soldiers," Mayor Baker told 5NEWS.
The good news to those who oppose the Gitmo detainees is that there doesn't appear to be any talk about Chaffee. Neither the Arkansas National Guard, Congressman John Boozman's office or Senator Mark Pryor's office have been given any indication that it's under consideration.
Captain Chris Heathscott with the Arkansas Guard said there are no detention facilities at Fort Chaffee, and a major construction project would have to be undertaken; making it a less likely target for the federal government.
The fear for states and municipalities is that when the terrorist prison at Guantanamo is closed, the inmates will be incarcerated somewhere in the states. Fort Smith Director Dr. Cole Goodman says he put forth the resolution because of past history at Fort Chaffee. The Arkansas National Guard base was once an active army base and held thousands of German POW's during World War II. In 1980 the fort housed Cuban refugees who incited riots and made many River Valley residents afraid.
Director Goodman says the city doesn't want to go through that again. He told 5NEWS that Fort Smith doesn't want to be the last one making a statement about this; they want to be one of the first on record. Still, Goodman admits that their resolution will likely have little impact on any decision the military might make.
Mayor Ray Baker is also on board with the board's decision to support the resolution.
"Remember these people are individuals that would hurt us and some of them who have been released because you know of different things, technicalities, have gone right back over to the battlefield in the middle east where they were fighting and have killed American soldiers," Mayor Baker told 5NEWS.
The good news to those who oppose the Gitmo detainees is that there doesn't appear to be any talk about Chaffee. Neither the Arkansas National Guard, Congressman John Boozman's office or Senator Mark Pryor's office have been given any indication that it's under consideration.
Captain Chris Heathscott with the Arkansas Guard said there are no detention facilities at Fort Chaffee, and a major construction project would have to be undertaken; making it a less likely target for the federal government.
