Why, then, did he not order ZM executed?
It was obvious that ZM was an enemy combatant, an open and notorious one, since 9:03AM on 9/11/01.
As he was not in uniform and was caught behind our lines, he had no claim to Geneva Convention protection.
What he did was infinitely worse than the Germans caught on Amagansett Beach in 1942.
THEY were dead in a month.
What possible excuse does W have for allowing this farce to play out in the US civil courts?
Why? Because he doesn't hold that power. That is for a jury wether it be of civilians or a military tribunal.
He indeed was captured inside the borders of this nation and the courts have now applied our constitution to those folks that are, wether they are citizens or not. Hence padilla being transferred to civilian custody. See the pattern? Does it scare you? I hope so, it should.
What excuse? How about the ACLU and leftist judges and lawyers that agree with them. You know, the crew that has made it almost impossible to direct enforcment of laws by creating excuses that somehow release personal responsibility.