Two Uyghurs from Guantanamo sent to El Salvador

Hurray?

Uyghurs are Turkic-speaking Muslims in western China.  Like the Tibetans, the small minority has had their culture downgraded to the level of exotic savages with colorful costumes and entertaining dances.  Twenty-two were swept up when we invaded Afghanistan.  They were sent to Guantanamo.

Almost immediately, it became patently obvious that these hapless men were not terrorists.  But what to do with them?  They couldn't be returned to China because they would certainly be tortured, imprisoned, or worse.  Third countries refused to take them because they didn't want to anger China and risk crippling trade sanctions.  Finally, they couldn't be relocated to the United States because, let's face it, would most Americans want former Guantanamo detainees as their neighbors?

Thus, the United States had the tough diplomatic job of convincing other nations to take the harmless men.  This meant convincing small, poor countries with little or no relationship with China.  Here is the breakdown of who took whom:

2006: Five Uyghurs to Albania.  Although Albania recognizes China, their relationship with each other has not been warm.  The Albanian government received cash from the U.S. in return for accepting the five.
2009: Six to Palau.  Palau has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, not China.  Money exchanged hands in this transaction as well.
2009: Four were shipped to the British territory of Bermuda.  The locals are not happy and want them gone.
Today: Two to El Salvador.  El Salvador also has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, not China.

That leaves five Uyghurs still at Guantanamo.  The U.S. is probably talking to the following countries, which all recognize Taiwan rather than China, about hosting the remainder of the prisoners:

-Africa: Burkina Faso, Gambia, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland
-Oceania: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu
-Latin America: Belize, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

These are some slim pickings.  But losers can't be choosers, I guess.