Texans for Peace Blog Iraq Trip 3 (and prior trip 2)

The US has opened a new prison at Chamchamal, south of Suleimaniya, that can hold 3,000 detainees (despite claims by Washington that the US has no intention of staying in Iraq). The US Corps of Engineers built the 27-million-dollar facility "to make it a modern correctional facility that complies with both international and US Coalition requirements for the humane treatment of inmates," the military said said. The new jail was constructed to hold 2,000 medium security inmates and 1,000 high security inmates and will have a staff of 1,200, including a large force of guards. There is already another federal prison, Fort Suze, 15 miles northwest of Suleimaniya, housing 1,500 detainees, among them 260 foreigners. Most inmates there are accused of "terrorism" and illegal entry to Iraq.