Hardin: The entrance to the Two Rivers Detention Center in Hardin, Montana Photo: AP
A Wild West cattle town is desperate to boost its ailing economy by offering its jail as a new home for the inmates of Guantanamo Bay.
By Toby Harndenin Hardin, Montana
Senators and congressman from across America have insisted that their states will not accept terrorist suspects in the homeland, but the folk of Hardin, Montana (population: 3,384) are made of sterner stuff. Greg Smith, Hardin’s economic development director, volunteered its state-of-the-art prison to the federal government.
“This is a dying town,” he said. “Businesses here are struggling like there’s no tomorrow. But here is a solution that would help us, help the United States and help the world. It’s a long shot but we have to try.”
The town stands on the edge of the Crow Indian Reservation a few dusty miles from the Little Bighorn Battlefield, where Lt Col George Custer made his last stand in 1876.
It has lost most of its shops. Even its dollar store is about to close.
The prison has stood empty since it was built two years ago and is in danger of becoming a white elephant because of a bitter dispute with the Montana government, which claims it is not needed. It was designed to bring up to 150 jobs to Hardin, cost $27 million (£16.7 million) and can hold 464 inmates.
The town council voted unanimously to offer to house the inmates that Donald Rumsfeld, then Pentagon chief, famously called the “worst of the worst”, and sent a letter to the White House setting out its case.
Mr Smith said it was important not to fear terrorists. “We can’t cower to the terrorists. If the whole world’s afraid of them, haven’t they won? To me, it would be a bigger concern if it were axe murderers or rapists. The guys at Guantanamo are mainly planners. They’re not going to strap bombs to themselves – they get other people to do that jihad stuff.”
The proposal has provoked a lively debate among locals. Leo Harman, 74, has his doubts: “If a bad dude gets out, the first thing he’s going to do is look for somebody and find himself a gun.” But his brother Gerald, 68, believes locals could deal with that. “We should put up a sign: ‘If you escape, Montana rednecks are going to hang you from a tree’.”
The response from Montana’s politicians has been a resounding “No”. “We’re not going to bring al-Qaeda to Big Sky Country,” thundered Senator Max Baucus. “No way. Not on my watch.”