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Report: Treason charges ruled out
NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES ^ | Dec. 19 | NBC News’ Pete Williams, MSNBC’s Jonathan Dube and Reuters contributed to this report.

Posted on 12/20/2001 1:34:03 AM PST by mdittmar

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To: MarketR
IF Bush does this, and I repeat IF he does he will be a hypocrite and I will not vote for a hypocrite. If you want to that is your choice.
101 posted on 12/20/2001 9:29:22 AM PST by WatchOutForSnakes
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To: Robert357
RE: # 95:

Yes. Since Johnny is now or is becoming such a hot political potato, turning him over to the Afghanistan government would be the wisest step. Otherwise, we could be said to be protecting him from the charges against him in that prison uprising. I imagine the Bushies are not entirely happy to make a decision, any decision, in this case.

What is likely to happen, I think, is that an illusion of justice will be created, to split and divide the hard line opposition such as ourselves. By illusion of justice I mean the same treatment that had been given to all the SLA and Weatherman members who are all free and even on government payroll as we speak. Dues process, blah, blah, blah, trial, blah, blah, blah, "the system works" to quote OJ Simpson and the many who are completely satisfied if not with the outcome of that trial then with the process that led to it. The system works!

102 posted on 12/20/2001 9:35:51 AM PST by Revolting cat!
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To: mdittmar
The problem here, is, of course, that journalists were allowed to report the story in the first place. Once the spin cycle got started, there was no way Johnny Jihad was going to be charged with Treason.

Johnny Jihad should have been obliterated, without a trace, nacht und nebel . Now, we got this @$$hole, on a ship, being "well treated". One hopes little Johnny's treatment includes round the clock interrogation.

This trial, IF it is not a military tribunal is going to rival OJ's for the leftist spin and opportunity to go on the screaming face shows.

It has now become virtually impossible to make him disappear, which is a shame. If we are going to use this as a test case, lets get to it. Let's clean out the leftover Xlintoon influence at Justice as well while we are at it. Rumsfield is a good AG, but he has scrap backing him up. We need a speedy trial and quick justice, either at the end of a rope (preferred) or at the recieving end of several 62 grain SS109's at the aft end of the flight deck.

Keep the Faith for Freedom

MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT THIS HONORABLE REPUBLIC

Greg

103 posted on 12/20/2001 9:38:54 AM PST by gwmoore
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To: good herb
There seems to be another precedent which would suggest another outcome. In this story, Treason 102: Overt Acts, the author, a Professor Emeritus at Brooklyn Law School (constitutional law), states:

"If Haupt's overt acts - assisting his saboteur son to get a job, a place to live, and an automobile - were sufficient to sustain a treason indictment and conviction, and if Fonda's overt acts - broadcasts, photo ops, lies, meetings, press conferences - could have been sufficient to sustain a treason indictment and conviction, then what about Taliban John's overt acts that are described above: terrorist training, terrorist combat, terrorist travel, terrorist rebellion, and perhaps complicity in terrorist murder of an American?

It is his opinion that Jane Fonda should have been brought up on these charges too, and I can't help but agree.

104 posted on 12/20/2001 9:40:11 AM PST by MizSterious
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To: WatchOutForSnakes
IF Bush does this, and I repeat IF he does he will be a hypocrite ...

Hmmmm.....Hypocrite.

I don't seem to remember anything in his campaign literature or stump speeches that said he would circumvent the law or the Constitution to enable the punishment of enemies of this Country. Granted, it would be nice to just make it up as you go for individual circumstances; see Chicoms, Iraq, Cuba, or any other dictatorship.

Perhaps you have forgotten what country you live in?

Let me refresh your memory. We don't convict on what we want, deserved or not...see OJ golfing in Florida. All the pieces need to be in position to do it the right way.

If we don't do it the way we have sacrificed for over 200 years our best and bravest to defend, what are our moral foundations? From where do we get our moral certainty?

Our laws and legal system may not be the best, but they're the best on this planet!

105 posted on 12/20/2001 9:50:16 AM PST by MarketR
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Comment #106 Removed by Moderator

To: MarketR
Our laws and legal system may not be the best, but they're the best on this planet!

Supporting evidence, please! You say Dunkin Donuts are the best, I say it's Krispy Kreme!

107 posted on 12/20/2001 9:58:47 AM PST by Revolting cat!
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To: Disgusted in Texas
Charge this jerk with TREASON.He fought against the United States of America.He is guilty of being a traitor.Semantics at work here. WRONG!

Wrong yourself. There is a Constitutional requirement that at least two witnesses must testify to the same overt act.

108 posted on 12/20/2001 10:01:49 AM PST by Poohbah
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To: good herb
Be sure to read the commentary on the Haupt case. It would appear there was no "intent" to betray the country there, either. Remember than when the getaway driver set out to do his day's work, he might not have intended murder--but such charges will be impending if a murder was committed as part of the crime.
109 posted on 12/20/2001 10:05:33 AM PST by MizSterious
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To: Revolting cat!
Supporting evidence, please! You say Dunkin Donuts are the best, I say it's Krispy Kreme!

Longest lived government on the planet designed, operated and supported by the governed peoples.

If it wasn't the best we could have, we would have changed it before now in favor of a better system. We, unlike dictatorships, monarchies, communist regimes, et al. have the right to modify our government and our laws as we see fit.

I also modestly include some bias...but what can I do...I love this land.

110 posted on 12/20/2001 10:06:44 AM PST by MarketR
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To: Poohbah
I am not an attorney, but I've seen several comment that Walker's presence among the terrorists--on video tape--would suffice. I'm sure attorneys can argue that point into the next century, if not longer, but it is something to consider.
111 posted on 12/20/2001 10:08:08 AM PST by MizSterious
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To: pray4liberty
I don't know how he can do this, unless he can bring Americans killed by the Taliban back to life again.

Surely you don't hold this knuckle-head responsible for what the Taliban did?

112 posted on 12/20/2001 10:17:31 AM PST by tsomer
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To: tsomer
Knuckle-headed getaway drivers get held responsible for what the rest of the gang did all the time. So, to answer your question...yup.
113 posted on 12/20/2001 10:24:11 AM PST by MizSterious
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To: golitely
You'd still require an overt act (just being on the video screen ain't enough) and the act must be as unambiguous as possible.

Treason was deliberately created to have as high a standard of proof as possible in order to avoid turning political dissent into treason as the King was wont to do.

114 posted on 12/20/2001 10:32:51 AM PST by Poohbah
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Comment #115 Removed by Moderator

To: TruthNtegrity
Remember, this report came from Pete Williams who does work for NBC, and by extension, MSNBC.

" Pete Williams
Pete Williams has been covering the Justice Department and the U.S. Supreme Court for NBC News as a correspondent, based in Washington, DC., since March 1993.

Prior to joining NBC, Williams served as a press official on Capitol Hill for many years. In 1986 he joined the Washington, DC staff of Congressman Dick Cheney of Wyoming as press secretary and a legislative assistant. In 1989, when Cheney was named Assistant Secretary of Defense, Williams was appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. While there, Williams was named Government Communicator of the Year in 1991 by the National Association of Government Communicators.

A native of Casper, WY, and a 1974 graduate of Stanford University, Williams was a reporter and news director at KTWO-TV and Radio in Casper from 1974 to 1985."

His closeness to Cheney is why I suggested he might be sending up a trial balloon as a favor to the Bush Administration. But then I listened to the Williams report, and he did not say "Treason charges were ruled out", and he did not say "a decision had been made." It was more like a "maybe" to any possibility.

Now that Ari Fleischer has said no decision will be made this week and probably not next week, I think President Bush is reconsidering the lighter charge. The lighter charge definitely was not well received.

116 posted on 12/20/2001 11:50:58 AM PST by YaYa123
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To: golitely
And get fried?

Doubt it. Especially first-time offenders.

Mercy is a significant feature of our justice system. We're different from the Taliban.

117 posted on 12/20/2001 1:13:48 PM PST by tsomer
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To: good herb
You make a good point, yet I maintain that if the government has a good prosecutor, the case can be made and prosecuted. I think there's enough evidence that the public knows about, and perhaps more that's being held in reserve for the right time.
118 posted on 12/20/2001 2:20:05 PM PST by MizSterious
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To: YaYa123
"The lighter charge definitely was not well received."

I thought maybe it was just me wanting the book thrown at him (I mean, I get a lot of flack here on FR for saying I think he's guilty of treason and should be prosectured)--but awhile ago on Fox, John Gibson talked about the tons of letters he's been getting from mothers of 18, 19, and 20 year old sons who are in the military, some of them over there where the likes of Walker could conceivably fire on their sons. These men--who are the same age as Walker--did the right thing in their lives, while Walker did the shabbiest of things. For the sake of those men, and those who have lost lives or limbs, he must at least be tried for his crimes. I hope someone properly pops that balloon, if that's what it was.

119 posted on 12/20/2001 2:27:04 PM PST by MizSterious
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To: tsomer
Surely you don't hold this knuckle-head responsible for what the Taliban did?

John Walker is not a knuckle-head, or a misled kid, or anything of the sort. He considers himself Taliban. He is a trained, cold-blooded killer. He is convinced the Taliban is right and justified to kill our fellow American citizens. He has the 'courage' of his convictions, or so we keep hearing.

And just what are those convictions? He believes killing you and me would be justified. I don't have to hold him responsible..he himself is proud of the side he took, and is unrepentant to boot. HE made his bed and must now sleep in it. So yes, in my view, he is just as responsible as the rest of them.

Come to your own conclusions as to what kind of person he is. He doesn't deserve to be called an American.

120 posted on 12/20/2001 8:21:17 PM PST by pray4liberty
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