First reaction to Obama speech [Michael Rubin]
A bit of live-blogging. It’s one thing to speak of an extremist ideology, but refusal to name that ideology belies the seriousness with which we should face the threat. And it’s one thing to praise the re-energization of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, but this too has become a mockery, as North Korea and Iran show every single day.
The basic issue which Obama is dancing around is whether terrorism is a police issue or a military issue. The difference is stark: If a police issue, in reality we deal with the threat after the ‘crime’ has occurred. If a military issue, we address preemptively.
The moral contrast argument is a diversion. We are a nation of laws, a nation of law for U.S. citizens and those on U.S. soil. Trying to apply U.S. law or even international law to those to whom they were never meant to apply undercuts security and undercuts the status of law. Ted Lapkin explains well, here. What Obama in effect does is take away any incentive for terrorists to adhere to rule of law.
I can’t wait to hear what Reid has to say..
Excellent! Help me out here...are you Rubin or do you have a link?
Thanks.
I agree with Rubin’s remarks. Imho, Obama is playing legal games.
Obama is a devisive political force in this country. He is not a unifier, but is intent on politicizing and dividing the US.
Furthermore, if we put these terrorists in our prison system, they will attempt to radicalize other prisoners. That is what happened to the four perps who were arrested last night in New York by the FBI. The perps became Muslim and were radicalized in prison.
Text of Cheney’s AEI Speech
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/05/text_of_cheneys_aei_speech.asp
Let me know if he deviated, since CSPAN radio saw fit to screw it up.
See No Evil
On February 2, a Department of Defense spokesman told THE WEEKLY STANDARD that a Pentagon report documenting the recidivism of some former Guantanamo detainees would be released imminently. The report was coming so soon that we were told to check defenselink.mil for it that afternoon.
Nothing.
Today, the New York Times, which has obtained a copy of the report, says that two administration officials claim it was squashed for political reasons.
Two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said the report was being held up by Defense Department employees fearful of upsetting the White House, at a time when even Congressional Democrats have begun to show misgivings over Mr. Obama’s plan to close Guantánamo. (emphasis added)
What other reason could there be for the report’s delay? The Times cites a DOD spokesman as saying that it is still “under review.” It is now May 20. We were told that the report was coming soon on February 2. Other news organizations, including Newsweek and the Times, expected the report to be released in late January.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/05/see_no_evil.asp