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Tribunals' critics will pay in next election
ajc ^ | 12/06/2001 | Zell Miller

Posted on 12/06/2001 2:50:43 PM PST by 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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TOPICS: Editorial; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: militarytribunals; zellmiller
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1 posted on 12/06/2001 2:50:43 PM PST by KQQL
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To: KQQL
Dear Santa:

All this little freeper wants is for Zell Miller to become a Republican...

Thank you,

Doggie

2 posted on 12/06/2001 2:54:19 PM PST by Dog
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To: KQQL
Traitor Democrats attempting to undermine the war effort... Vermont harbors these scum... Was Benedict Arnold from Vermont?
3 posted on 12/06/2001 2:55:00 PM PST by Lexington Green
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To: KQQL
What a great thread/post! Thank Senator Zell Miller for his brave stand. We were attacked by mad killers and their masters and comrades have promised death to all Americans. Yet many so called Americans are more concerned about these a$$holes than our children and grandchildren's safety!

Thanks for this great post!

4 posted on 12/06/2001 2:55:25 PM PST by Grampa Dave
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To: Dog
Why don't you email your message to Miller t00
5 posted on 12/06/2001 2:56:59 PM PST by KQQL
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To: KQQL
Nice to hear from "The Zell Man." We need this guy in the (R) column.
6 posted on 12/06/2001 2:57:29 PM PST by MickMan51
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To: Miss Marple; Howlin; PhiKapMom
Well look a here. I believe someone is getting the message loud and clear, namely Zell Miller the Democratic senator from Georgia.
7 posted on 12/06/2001 2:57:34 PM PST by deport
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To: KQQL
Bumping for Zell .... and I hope he is right (no pun).
8 posted on 12/06/2001 2:57:41 PM PST by aculeus
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To: Dog
Come on over to our side Zell...you can do it.
9 posted on 12/06/2001 3:00:01 PM PST by mystery-ak
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To: KQQL
How does Zell Miller keep his common sense in the Senate Democratic Caucus? Does he have his own personal oxygen supply?
10 posted on 12/06/2001 3:00:07 PM PST by colorado tanker
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: KQQL
The howls of protest over the administration's efforts to treat terrorists like the war criminals they are is mind-boggling

How do we know they are terrorists or war criminals when they haven't even had a trial?

12 posted on 12/06/2001 3:00:31 PM PST by ambrose
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To: Miss Marple; Howlin; PhiKapMom

I also like the Nervous Nellies..... Sounds like a good name for the antis....

13 posted on 12/06/2001 3:00:34 PM PST by deport
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To: KQQL
Zell Miller, Schippers, Horowitz, and Stenholm: the last of the ethical, patriotic Democrats...
14 posted on 12/06/2001 3:00:39 PM PST by Southack
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To: Southack
Mmmm... Maybe John Breaux, too.
15 posted on 12/06/2001 3:01:18 PM PST by Southack
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To: KQQL
The Democrats on the Judiciary Committee in the Sentate certainly hung their heads today when questioning Ashcroft.

They've seen the polls; they know they've lost the battle.

16 posted on 12/06/2001 3:01:42 PM PST by sinkspur
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To: colorado tanker
He hardly attends Senate Democratic Caucus
17 posted on 12/06/2001 3:02:10 PM PST by KQQL
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To: aculeus
Do you think that Vermonters would really vote Patrick "Leaky" Leahy out?
Or Mass voters voting out Kennedy?

I hope they throw Waxman out as well.

18 posted on 12/06/2001 3:03:05 PM PST by RadicalRik
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Former President Carter criticizes military tribunals plan
19 posted on 12/06/2001 3:03:21 PM PST by KQQL
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To: RadicalRik
are you dreaming again? They come for lefty places.
20 posted on 12/06/2001 3:05:02 PM PST by KQQL
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