Posted on 02/02/2010 5:42:54 AM PST by SonOfDarkSkies
Changing the Zip Code of the trial of Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other terrorists from New York City to Somewhere, U.S.A. does not solve the problems a civilian trial raised in the first place. The decision does provide some justice because hundreds of millions of dollars in security costs will not be borne by the city that was the major victim of this terrorist quintet. But security and other issues do not disappear with new geography; they just move to the next location.
Try Washington, D.C., where the federal courthouse is a mere bomb’s throw away from the House and the Senate. Congress will certainly nix that possible venue. So where? Any population center with suitable courts and jails (meaning attack proof) will incur the same costs and lockdowns, including roof top snipers and street closings, that New York was planning. Any remote location, such as a military base, will cost time and money because security enhanced courtrooms and holding facilities will have to be built. Waiting for this construction clearly casts aside “swift” justice, a promise this administration made to the victims’ families when explaining a rationale for moving the trials to our shores, and which was reiterated by David Axelrod just last Sunday on Meet the Press.
In its attempt to sell us on civilian trials for terrorists, the administration claims we need to demonstrate that “we have the best criminal justice system in the world.” For just that reason illegal enemy combatants should not be tried under its rules.
Battleground conditions do not translate to federal criminal rules. There are no evidence bags stored in the foxhole to preserve the chain of custody.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
The trial should be held in the House of Representatives and all members of Congress should attend. They can provide their own security, by themselves with their personal staffs.
I believe that Toensing testified in favor of Eric Holder at his
hearings. Talked about what a fine, upstanding person he is.
Even after the Clinton years and Marc Rich pardon.
excellent. KSM could be kept in the brig at the Navy Yard and he can use the gym and cafeteria and post office at the uS Capitol. Maybe even go bowling at the WH.
Everyone who enters DC can be subject to TSA-like screening.
DC can become our very own Gaza.
Why hasn’t Holder even suggested this? I mean, he said to NYC that security was not a problem.
The fundamental change that I see can be summed up in a concept that even a Constitutional Lawyer (like Pres. Zero) can understand.
At a Military Tribunal, a terrorist is assumed guilty, and the level of his guilt is ascertained, or if he is innocent opportuntity to display all the facts are given.
At a Civilian trial, the terrorist is assumed innocent; and any evidence obtained through non-Constitutionally expressed means is prohibited. If he confessed without a lawyer, his ocnfession is inadmissable. If evidence obtained was gathered without a search warrant, that is inadmissable. Phone taps, security wires, recorded conversations without a court-ordered warrant are inadmissable.
So, why not let him go free and save the taxpayers millions of dollars in wasted legal fees? He’ll go out and kill a bunch of Americans, then our inept Preident will express regret, and he’ll put together another kangaroo court and again, evidence will be tossed out, confessions and witness reports will be tossed out.
Obama doesn’t want to fix America to meet his idea; he wants to utterly destroy America, then rebuild it based upon his personal ideals. That’s what Radicals do.
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MmI2MWE2M2RiZDM5MDE4Y2RmMDJhZmY4YWQ2OGQwZWM=
Republicans for Holder [Byron York]
I just got off the phone with Joe DiGenova, the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia who, along with his wife and fellow lawyer Victoria Toensing, signed a letter in support of Eric Holder’s nomination to be attorney general. DiGenova told me he and Toensing were approached by Republican lawyer Mike Madigan about signing the letter, but they were in favor of Holder’s nomination much earlier than that. “Victoria and I signed the letter, but we were supporting him before that,” DiGenova told me. “Our support comes from the fact that we have known Eric for many years, that we respect him as a lawyer, and, more importantly, we are very concerned about the Justice Department. There have been too many AG’s who don’t understand the place. Eric is very qualified to fix it, because it is a mess. It isn’t just the politicization of it, it’s the career people who need supervision…We know Eric personally, and we believe him to be a superbly qualified candidate to fix the place.” DiGenova added that he and Toensing also went to Capitol Hill to speak in support of Holder with Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Pat Leahy (this also happened well before the letter was sent).
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MmI2MWE2M2RiZDM5MDE4Y2RmMDJhZmY4YWQ2OGQwZWM=
Yeah, I remember being shocked about her nice comments
about this POS. ANYONE who worked for Clinton justice
(appointed that is,) had to be corrupt. So, thanks, Victoria,
I’m sure he was nice at the dinner and cocktail parties
ya’ll attended.
Liberal poseurs, they want to make a point on principle but do not personally want to accept the blowback of their decisions. Its always in somebody elses backyard. My feeling is if they want a KSM trial then it should be in NYC. Remember, it was the NYC citizens that agreed the war on terror was wrong, even after suffering the most brutal hits from the enemy. Tells me all I need to know about NYC. A bunch of spoiled pantywaists always seeking others to do for them. Time for them to man up and live to the ideal of their master.
light skinned, clean, articulate, no negro dialect unless he chooses to use one
dresses well, knows how to use a fish fork and asparagus tongs. Lovely wife, kids in the finest private schools
what qualification could he possibly lack to be the US attorney general?
The Administration was satisfied with the information they got in their 50 minute interview? I can tell you from experience that you can’t conduct a meaningful deposition of a witness in a hit-in-the-rear car accident case in 50 minutes. And this guy needed an interpreter! What a load of crap.
This is just more of the "muslim protection plan" from Obama...another example of "reverse profiling."
Unfortunately - and stupidly, to use the president’s terminology - both Obama and his spokesidiot Gibbs have made extremely prejudicial statements about the “fair” trial, PRESUMPTION OF GUILT, AND EXECUTION of KSM. These statements are a pure gift to the defense, which can now legitimately claim has tainted the (civilian) jury in favor of conviction.
But again - unfortunately and stupidly - the effect on a MILITARY court (or tribunal) could be even worse. Military courts are convened by the commanding authority, who MUST preserve neutrality. Failing to do so creates the situation of command influence, which invalidates the entire process - and the president IS the commander in chief!
Obama (and Holder) have turned this into a Fudge Cluster (cluster of fudge?) (some other kind of cluster?) that might not be fixable.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.