Today the White House announces that they are going to move the primary planner of the 9-11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three of his accomplice's from Guantanamo Bay to New York to stand for a public trial.
What???
First of all these detainees are "prisoners of war" and we are not required to do much of anything with them. Assuming there is an argument to be made for some kind of due process as a matter of closure for us, then fine...it it should be done with a Military Tribunal. A Tribunal is quick, efficient and best suited to handle the security interest of a case like this. Instead of handling them as the "war criminals" that they are, we are giving them access to our court system and giving them the right of our own citizens. These men have no defense and have gladly accepted blame and responsibility for killing more then 3000 Americans and the Mo hammed of the World Trade Center on 9-11. They have asked to die yet we want to drag them thru a public trial to what end? Attorney General, Eric Holder, states that he will ask for the death penalty but why bring them into our court system? It is a maneuver to put the former administration, the CIA and our country on trial not the terrorist. It puts a liberal judge in charge of criminals that pose a significant threat to national security. In this type of proceeding, the "defendants" will be entitled to Discovery including the military records, investigating techniques of the CIA, investigation documentation and other sensitive data that does not need to be put on public display. They will also be entitled to a trial by a jury of their piers. Where do you find a pool of individuals that have any of the basic values or experiences necessary to be considered a "pier"? In addition, how many people live in New York have no knowledge or preconceived opinion of the destruction of the towers to qualify them to be an objective jurist. At the least you would have to go to Washington DC to find that. Then there is the issue of the bill...yes, you will have the privlage of paying for their defense as well. It is just a few more million into the endless pit Washington calls "progress". During a time of war, we are taking war criminals onto our soil and treating them to the privilege of our legal system in a feeble attempt to look like the US is taking a stand on something. People will clammer to the press to offer their opinion on how we tortured these guys with water boarding and lack of TV, to get information that saved us from additional attacks. This maneuver of the White House through the Attorney General, is undermining our military's authority and is completely irresponsible and dangerous. The Commander and Chief of the military seems to be intent on dismantling them as well as the CIA. It is no wonder that moral is so low. Unfortunately we do not have a President that shares our commitment to our troops, our citizens and our way of life. He is one among us and we have to continue to fight these injustices on every front.
So in the meantime, the major planner of 9-11 and his bud's will be in the Big Apple just blocks away from the World Trade Center site. I am sure the case will be handled with all the sensitivity, competence and expertise we have seen in other high profile trials, OJ Simpson comes to mind but at least he was an American.
What???
First of all these detainees are "prisoners of war" and we are not required to do much of anything with them. Assuming there is an argument to be made for some kind of due process as a matter of closure for us, then fine...it it should be done with a Military Tribunal. A Tribunal is quick, efficient and best suited to handle the security interest of a case like this. Instead of handling them as the "war criminals" that they are, we are giving them access to our court system and giving them the right of our own citizens. These men have no defense and have gladly accepted blame and responsibility for killing more then 3000 Americans and the Mo hammed of the World Trade Center on 9-11. They have asked to die yet we want to drag them thru a public trial to what end? Attorney General, Eric Holder, states that he will ask for the death penalty but why bring them into our court system? It is a maneuver to put the former administration, the CIA and our country on trial not the terrorist. It puts a liberal judge in charge of criminals that pose a significant threat to national security. In this type of proceeding, the "defendants" will be entitled to Discovery including the military records, investigating techniques of the CIA, investigation documentation and other sensitive data that does not need to be put on public display. They will also be entitled to a trial by a jury of their piers. Where do you find a pool of individuals that have any of the basic values or experiences necessary to be considered a "pier"? In addition, how many people live in New York have no knowledge or preconceived opinion of the destruction of the towers to qualify them to be an objective jurist. At the least you would have to go to Washington DC to find that. Then there is the issue of the bill...yes, you will have the privlage of paying for their defense as well. It is just a few more million into the endless pit Washington calls "progress". During a time of war, we are taking war criminals onto our soil and treating them to the privilege of our legal system in a feeble attempt to look like the US is taking a stand on something. People will clammer to the press to offer their opinion on how we tortured these guys with water boarding and lack of TV, to get information that saved us from additional attacks. This maneuver of the White House through the Attorney General, is undermining our military's authority and is completely irresponsible and dangerous. The Commander and Chief of the military seems to be intent on dismantling them as well as the CIA. It is no wonder that moral is so low. Unfortunately we do not have a President that shares our commitment to our troops, our citizens and our way of life. He is one among us and we have to continue to fight these injustices on every front.
So in the meantime, the major planner of 9-11 and his bud's will be in the Big Apple just blocks away from the World Trade Center site. I am sure the case will be handled with all the sensitivity, competence and expertise we have seen in other high profile trials, OJ Simpson comes to mind but at least he was an American.