[Polybius]

What's the opinion of the Legal Beagles on F.R.?

It seems to me that using Military Tribunals would send a clear message that the terrorism now being committed against the USA is not merely a "crime" to be handled like another O.J. Trial media circus.

Such acts of terrorism are war crimes as defined by the 1949 Geneva Conventions. In addition, they are acts of war committed by foreigners when dressed in civilian clothing amongst our own population. Traditionally, such conduct has merited the death penalty after conviction by Military Tribunal.

[Destructor]

I couldn't agree with you more! Thanks for a great post!!

[Tench_Coxe]

I would agree with this article, if there was a Declaration of War. There isn't, yet.
The justification for these tribunals needs to come from history--both Lincoln and FDR had obtained such Declarations prior to their restriction on liberties. What a Declaration tends to do is clearly define the belligerents ( and for those saying this is 'a new kind of war', just look at the case of the Barbary Pirates ).

What we have now is opened ended and ill defined, at least from the general public. I am afraid that the time will come when 'terrorists' will come to mean citizens that disagree with their government. We've already seen some attempts to cast them in this light.

Also, how do we know when this will be over? The potential is a perpetual 'state of war', in which the government uses the crisis as a figleaf to run roughshod over citizens.

We need a Declaration of War from Congress.

[max61]

The very idea of a military tribunal is something that Hitler would have done, IMO. As well, it proves once again to the world that our government is run by a bunch of hypocrites. Finally, it's simply a bad precedent.

One should ask why would a military tribunal be necessary at all?. Is the government's case that weak that it would be unable to pass the scrutiny of our system of Justice?, or is this just another attempt to undermine the Constitution?.

Other that that, I'm still waiting for some of the government's evidence as to exactly who perpetrated the events of 9/11.

---max