Over the course of the past decade, Guantanamo Bay has faced plenty of criticism for the way prisoners have been treated. The luxurious U.S. military facility that many captured Al Qaeda members call home has been known on occasion to treat their guests with very little hospitality. In an effort to make up for possible Geneva Convention violations such as waterboarding, golden showers and all that other fun stuff, we’ve built them a brand new soccer field.

See? All better now.

The new 28,000-square-foot AstroTurf facility, which was built to improve the morale of the inmates, cost taxpaying Americans exactly $744,000. The price tag of the project is undoubtedly going to be questioned by the millions of Americans who have been petitioning for Gitmo’s closure for years. The fact that alleged terrorists will be enjoying a soccer field nicer than that of some high schools just throws more fuel on the fire.

The U.S. military base has always been a notoriously bottomless pit for taxpayer dollars. Everything needed on the base, whether it be building materials, florescent light bulbs or ice cream needs to be shipped, and therefore becomes incredibly expensive. According to a 2010 Washington Post article the transformation of Gitmo has cost at least $500 million. Some of these ill-conceived costs included luxuries for military personal stationed at Gitmo such as “an abandoned volleyball court for $249,000, an unused go-kart track for $296,000 and $3.5 million for 27 playgrounds that are often vacant.”

Unlike the volleyball court and go-kart track, the soccer field will most definitely see its fair share of use. Many of the Middle-Eastern inmates are big fans of the global game and will likely behave themselves in order to gain the privilege to play, but that doesn’t change the fact that it cost three quarters of a million dollars.

During this economic climate most Americans care much more about the cost on the bottom line, rather than Gitmo residents’ quality of life.

[Washington Post]

[AP Photo/Brennan Linsley]