“The terrorists who planned, participated in, and aided the September 11, 2001 attacks are war criminals, not common criminals. The individuals accused of committing these heinous, cowardly acts of intentionally targeting unsuspecting, defenseless civilians should therefore be tried by military commission rather than in civilian courts in the United States.” Senator Joe Liberman
Posted by Tina
A common complaint about the Bush war policy was that taking the war to the enemy would “just make them madder”, as if “anger” was the prime motivator for those who practice jihad. A number of people are now asking if trying these men as criminals will just make our enemies madder. It’s a fair question. I imagine reducing an act of martyrdom to that of a common street thug would be quite an insult to dedicated jihadist.
But that’s only one of the many things that make this decision stupid and dangerous for our country. I’ve gathered a group of articles that express views you may not hear in the MSM…or as some are beginning to call it “old” media. It’s likely that some of these views will be looked back on one day with feelings of regret that we failed, once again, to be mindful of what we are up against:
“Painting a Bull’s Eye on New York City,” By Dick Morris and Eileen McGann – cnsnews.com
President Obama’s decision to put Khalid Sheikh Mohammed on trial in New York City along with four others accused of helping destroy the World Trade Center and attack the Pentagon on 9-11 paints a bull’s-eye for terrorists right on New York City, their favorite target. Now Obama has identified where the terrorists should focus their energies — on New York City.
“Obama’s Show Trials,” by James Toranto – Wall Street Journal
Administration officials say they expect that up to 40 of the 215 detainees at Guantanamo Bay will ultimately be tried in either federal court or military commissions–possibly including federal courts in the District [of Columbia] or Alexandria [Va.]. Approximately 90 others have been cleared for repatriation or resettlement in a third country, according to an administration official. ** That leaves up to 75 individuals remaining at Guantanamo who could continue to be held under the laws of war because they are deemed too dangerous to release, but cannot be prosecuted because of evidentiary issues and limits on the use of classified material.
The Worst Decision by a US President in History – by David Horowitz – FrontPage Magazine
The Obama administration has taken a giant step in its march to throw in the towel in the war against radical Islam. On FoxNews this morning, Peter King said of the decision to try the soldiers of al-Qaeda — who by their own account have no country but their cause — as civilians “may be the worst decision by a U.S. president in history.” ** It certainly is. It sends a signal to terrorists everywhere to attack civilians.
“Rudy Weighs In,” by Rudy Giuliani – campaign spot – NRO
Returning some of the Guantanamo detainees to New York City for trial, specifically Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, has now brought us full circle — we have regressed to a pre-9/11 mentality with respect to Islamic extremist terrorism. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed should be treated like the war criminal he is and tried in a military court. He is not just another murderer, or even a mass murderer. He murdered as part of a declared war against us — America. ** This is the same mistake we made with the 1993 terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center. We treated them like domestic criminals, when in fact they were terrorists. In the dangerous world we live in today, a nation unable to identify and properly define its enemies is a nation in danger. ** I would only add that there is one scenario in which the choice to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other al-Qaeda to New York City will seem like a wise decision: A conviction, delivered after an orderly, fair trial, with no interruptions. ** There are many scenarios where this choice will look reckless and stupid: an acquittal (remember, one holdout kept Moussaoui from the death penalty), a mistrial, an O. J. Simpson-like circus, KSM and the others using the trial as a soapbox to denounce America every moment, and worst of all, a terror attack launched to influence it. (Could jurors be a target?) ** The choice has been made; now all of us get to live with the consequences.
“Obama decision to try 9/11 defendants already drawing fire” – USA Today
Even before Attorney General Eric Holder made it official, the Obama administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a New York City federal court drew fire from conservatives who question his willingness to wage war on terrorists. ** Debra Burlingame, the sister of a pilot whose plane was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11, said in a statement that “the trial will be a travesty.” She supports military trials for Mohammed and four other defendants. ** “In open court, it will be Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who will hold forth,” she said, “mocking his victims, exulting in the suffering of their families, ridiculing the judge, his lawyers and the American justice system, and worst of all, rallying his jihad brothers to kill more Americans.”
This decision puts the United States of America on trial…and most likely the former administration…eh Libby?
I predict it will ultimately backfire; I pray the consequence for Americans will not be too severe.