[Starrgaizr]

It is useless denying an inevitable trade-off with such executive power. This guy was not wearing the uniform of a soldier of an enemy state. But he was not in the Peace Corp either. If the U.S. military or intelligence agencies find known terrorists known to be plotting horrific attacks on our nation, then they should be able to do something about it even if they lack enough evidence to win a civilian court conviction. That's why we have a military. We don't put enemies on trial before we blow them to smithereens or round them up.

What about U.S. citizens? If a citizen is determined to be in the company of known terrorists who otherwise would qualify for ruthless military attack due to their plotting our destruction, then detaining him seems prudent ("the Constitution is not a suicide pact," etc.)

But we should not kid ourselves -- this is what dictators always claim as well. THE difference is precisely the American culture of vigorous, democratic debate. In other words, this is being done correctly -- the Bush administration did not detain this guy in secret. The political process and public opinion counts in this country. A president rounding up political enemies and claiming they are terrorists would not work here. If that ever changes, hopefully there would be a backlash and the courts, Congress, and people would intervene in time. American dictatorship is less a threat than American suicide by political correctness, at least today.

[THEUPMAN]

-- this is what dictators always claim as well. THE difference is precisely the American culture of vigorous, democratic debate. In other words, this is being done correctly -- the Bush administration did not detain this guy in secret.

you have made a very good point, although I am concerned about the doors this sort of thing could open, the fact that this is a PUBLIC event garners a gold star for GW

[walden]

Very well put. Until the editorial board of the New York Times is under arrest, I'm not going to worry about the U.S. being a police state.

I do think, however, that we need to try people like this dirty bomber and the Marin county guy for TREASON. It seems to me that "aiding and abetting" enemies of the United States shouldn't be difficult to prove.