Tribunals' critics will pay in next election

ajc ^ | 12/06/2001 | Zell Miller

[KQQL]

Tribunals' critics will pay in next election

By ZELL MILLER

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The howls of protest over the administration's efforts to treat terrorists like the war criminals they are is mind-boggling. The critics are crying foul at the mere mention of bringing suspected terrorists to justice in military tribunals. This obsession with protecting the rights of terrorists is naive and wrongheaded. And if you don't want to take my word for it, just wait -- voters will say it loud and clear in next year's elections.

The critics forget a key fact: We are at war. Thousands of innocent citizens were killed on U.S. soil, and the terrorists are plotting new attacks. This is the time to unite in trying to defeat our enemy with every tool at our disposal. It's no time to wring our hands like nervous Nellies, worrying whether a suspected terrorist might sue because he wasn't read his rights.

President Bush is proposing military tribunals only for non-citizens, and he is absolutely right to do so. The Supreme Court has twice upheld military tribunals as constitutional. Military tribunals are the traditional venue for prosecuting war criminals and they have been used throughout this nation's history by several presidents.

Military tribunals will prevent us from having to reveal and compromise our nation's sensitive intelligence information in court, as happened during the eight months of court proceedings against the men suspected in the 1993 terrorist bombing at the World Trade Center.

Military tribunals will also prevent countless communities, courthouses and jurors in this country from becoming targets for terrorists. And they will prevent key witnesses from keeping silent out of a very legitimate fear of revenge from terrorist groups.

This is the same system of justice we use forour military. If our own American soldiers aren't entitled to the benefits of jury trials in civilian courts, why in the world would we extend that benefit to foreigners who are trying to kill Americans?

Even military tribunals are too good for these terrorists. These killers will receive legal counsel and fair trials from us. That's much more than the terrorists have ever offered to their victims.

The critics say Attorney General John Ashcroft is shredding the Constitution. They've wrongly turned Ashcroft into the enemy while our true enemy is still at large.

It's crazy. Ashcroft is right to use military tribunals for terrorists. He is right to detain those suspected of helping the terrorists. He is right to monitor the prison phone calls between suspected al-Qaida agents and their lawyers.

What would the critics have us do? Sit back and wait as these imprisoned terrorists plot their next attack on America right under our nose from an American jail cell? Get off Ashcroft's back and let him do his job.

Within days of the Sept. 11 attack on this country, a united Congress gave President Bush a green light to go after the terrorists. It's time to honor our word and get our priorities straight. It's time to let our commander in chief win this war with every weapon he can muster.

You win a war by being as tough and merciless as your enemy. You lose a war by catering to your enemy, by sending the message that you care more about the enemy's rights than your own country's safety. It's a message the voters are sure to receive.

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[Uncle George]

All America will know the meaning of a "QUISLING" before election I am sure.

[TomGuy]

Miller should do a reverse-Jeffers...change parties. That would shake up the Senate.

[McGavin999]

Zell, go toward the light. Turn to your right and head toward the light and away from the dark side.

[Malcolm]

Dog, I wish that were so, but methinks, based on review of ZM's statements on the matter, that he is a loyal Democrat and ever shall he be. I believe ZM is sincere on this one point in the above article, but Southern Democrats, constantly tack back to the right on issues here and there to convince "Yellow Dog Democrat" votes (white hicks) that the Dems are the party of the "little guy," (if ever there was a more hideous lie). Bask in ZM's "Republican" stance for the moment, but next week he will be backing the Dems against the GOP on some issue that also deserves his support. Anything is possible, especially in politics, but ZM crossing the aisle will not happen. The Dem leadership could possibly goad him into this, but he will not do it based exclusively on personal values and/or principle; if that were the case, he would be a Republican already.....

[mrfixit514]

Amen!!! Preach it brother!!!

Excellent editorial!

Zell for president (if he will change parties)

[Apolitical]

Well that does it for me. If Carter's against it, then I'm all for it.

[LisaFab]

Wasn't Benedict Arnold from Vermont?

Connecticut...just like Shays & Lieberman.

[mrfixit514]

Well let's put it this way, everyone else but you knows they are terrorists. Come on.

[LisaFab]

Wasn't Benedict Arnold from Vermont?

Connecticut...just like Shays & Lieberman.

[moonman]

^5's :) My thoughts exactly!

[LisaFab]

Wasn't Benedict Arnold from Vermont?

Connecticut...just like Shays & Lieberman.

[dirtboy]

Yup, mention the Constitution and you, too, might enter the Terrorist Club and find yourself before a tribunal, and you'll have noone to thank but the rah-rah sheeple who flew flags on their SUVs because it was fashionable and told King George "Anything Goes!"

Nice hyperbole. Now try crafting a statement that reflects reality. Please show me where in the proposal for tribunals that American citizens are subject to them. Oh, that's right, you can't...

[Wphile]

Why doesn't he switch parties? That would be so cool. The Repubs would have the Senate back and that damn Dasshole would be smothered. Oh, perchance to dream!

[RadicalRik]

I did just that.

Dear Senator Miller, Thank you for your article: "Tribunals' critics will pay in next election". Thank you also for your honorable service to our nation.

As a Virginian and a Republican, all I can say is that I wish that you could or would switch to the Republican Party. If you were to move to Virginia to run for election for Senator Warner's seat, you would be elected by a landslide. The same I believe would be true for the departing Senators Thurmond, Helms and Gramm.

Senator Miller, I place you right up there with these men in character, honor and integrity. And that from a conservative Republican. Thank you for standing up to the likes of Senators Daschle, Kennedy, Leahy, Clinton and Waxman.

Sincerely,
R.R. (My real name)
Senator Zell Millers E-mail site

[tubebender]

I'm sure the misguided souls at Waco would have welcomed a Tribunal over their ultimate fate. Fat chance with billybob and elreno in charge and not a word from the nuts on the dem side of the aisle.

[dirtboy]

One of the options he put forth was to strip him of his citizenship and try him in a tribunal.

Look in your passport. After all the pages for stamping visas, there is a section of cautionary statements. One item says that if you serve in a foreign military, your citizenship might be forfeited. In the case of Walker, there is existing law and due process that could strip him of his citizenship - but I doubt he'd end up being tried before a military tribunal, he's a little fish.

[timydnuc]

Zell is also an old politician. He knows of what he speaks! This sly old dog can probably tell you how every precinct in his state will vote with in 2% one way or the other. I deparately hope that the RATS up for re-election in 2K+2 completely disregard Zell's message.

I don't care that we lost the majority in the Senate (for now). This irresponsible display that the RATS are showing now is not sitting well with a newly awakened electorate. Zell is telling them, in no uncertain terms, that they are sealing their fate for decades to come. When a political animal such as Senator Miller articulates this kind of message the RATS are in deep, copious, odiforious, Ca Ca!!!

It couldn't happen to nicer bunch of Clymers!!!!!!!!!!!