Military Justice for al Qaeda

That Washington Paper ^ | Sunday, November 18, 2001 | William P. Barr and Andrew G. McBride

[Sunshine55]

The ACLU, some national commentators and a Post editorial ["End-Running the Bill of Rights," Nov. 16] have criticized President Bush's executive order allowing for the exercise of military jurisdiction over those suspected of conducting the Sept. 11 attacks. Some critics claim the president has the burden of showing that civilian courts are inadequate to the task. Others fear the order threatens civil liberties or is of dubious constitutionality. The critics have it exactly backward.

In confronting the al Qaeda network, this country is exercising its powers of national defense -- its "war powers" -- to defend itself against attacks by an organized foreign force. When the country is engaged in such a "state of armed conflict," it has long been recognized under both our Constitution and international law that foreign forces are subject to trial by military tribunal for any offenses against the laws of war. It is equally well established that a foreign national who is engaged in armed conflict against the United States has no constitutional claim to the rights and procedures that would apply to a domestic criminal prosecution.

Read the rest of the article HERE

[ex-Texan]

I say foreign nationals who are associated with terrorist groups are lucky to get any "justice."

If the terrorists are not U.S. citizens, then no treatment as U.S. citizens !!

I also say deport all of these @ssh%^%^$ to Turkey for a Moslem style rape-interrogation.

[goldstategop]

One bullet between the eyes is sufficient justice for the cowards, scum and terrorists. Sentence first, trial afterwards. We can safely debate the ethics of "termination with extreme prejudice" after they're gone. If that upsets the ACLU and uninformed Congressional liberal idiots so be it. 6,000 plus dead Americans speak to why the Constitution is NOT a suicide pact. When people sneak in and attack this country with the aim to destroy it they have no claim and no right to appeal to this country's humanity and legal protections. Off with their heads!!!

[Jen]

Welllllllllllllllllllll lookie here, the ACLU's back on the "wrong" side of the issues again, as usual. (Must've been that warm front that moved through Hades to melt all the snow and ice from the recent blizzard to get things back to normal for them...)

"wrong"=left; "right"=right

[EODGUY]

Typical hand-wringing and double-standard espousing by the ACLU (although it appears that they want to initiate a name change to World Civil Liberties Union). We should not employ an age old, fair and just military justice system to arrested alien terrorists/facilitators/spies, but why hasn't the ACLU and others complained about it's use on members of the military?

I left college 31 years ago this Thanksgiving to enlist in the military to show my love and appreciation of our country.

We are at war, regardless of the opinions expressed by the policical/media opportunists who never spent a day in the uniform of our country.

When you are feeling a little depressed, just imagine what our country would look like if Gore and his leftist administration were in office.

[Jen]

...just imagine what our country would look like if Gore and his leftist administration were in office.

Oh the horror! Thank God for President Bush.

[spycatcher]

Great article