[MindBender26]

Mr. Hentoff should step out of the Village Voice office, walk a few blocks downtown, and ask the 5000 people permanently gathered there if we should make it any easier on terrorists.

[dead]

I don't think it is the terrorists he is looking to defend. It is the constitution.

If the terrorists are guilty, we should be able to prove it in a court of law, and then kill them.

Would you be happy if Clinton signed an EO giving himself these sorts of royal powers?

[sheltonmac]

"Mr. Hentoff should step out of the Village Voice office, walk a few blocks downtown, and ask the 5000 people permanently gathered there if we should make it any easier on terrorists."

Your statement suggests that you believe these military tribunals will only be used against terrorists. You are assuming that the guilt of the crime of terrorism would have already been established. That would be a wrong assumption. According to the wording of the order signed by Bush, any non-citizen deemed even the slightest bit suspicious by the president can be dragged before a tribunal, tried, and executed based on the opinion of only a 2/3 majority of the panel of judges. Remember, under this particular order, the president and the president alone has the power to bring someone before a tribunal. Imagine that kind of power in the hands of someone like Clinton (either one).