Comments on: CNN poll: Americans want KSM tried in military court

By: IFC News What Was Missing from the SOTU Address

IFC News What Was Missing from the SOTU Address — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:47:43 +0000

[...] month ago an attempt to blow up an airliner full of passengers over Detroit was narrowly averted; a strong majority of Americans don’t want KSM and his cohorts to be tried in New York; and Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan [...]

By: » What Was Missing from the SOTU Address - Big Government

» What Was Missing from the SOTU Address - Big Government — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:04:24 +0000

By: IFC News Don’t Worry, It’s Only $400-600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC

IFC News Don’t Worry, It’s Only $400-600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:27:43 +0000

[...] Money isn’t the main reason trying these terrorists in civilian courts is a bad idea. It’s not even in the top five. But it is one MORE reason the decision by President Obama and AG Eric Holder should be reversed. Most Americans want them tried in military courts. [...]

By: » Don’t Worry, It’s Only $400-600 Million to Try Terrorists in NYC - Big Government

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:30:15 +0000

By: Midwinter

Midwinter — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:49:34 +0000

Since when does the public get to say where trials are held? I'm pretty sure all of this is covered in the country's owner's manual.

By: flatlander100

flatlander100 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:56:21 +0000

Bob Wadman has an excellent op-ed piece on this topic in Wednesday’s SE. Link below. It really is first rate. Headline is “We need a little backbone on the home front.”

http://www.standard.net/topics/opinion/2009/11/17/we-need-little-backbone-home-front

By: flatlander100

flatlander100 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:32:41 +0000

Wynona wrote:

“It is pretty outrageous that the government decided a priori with no consultation of the American people and New Yorkers.”

Is it? I don’t think so. The Justice Department does not “consult the American people” on which court it will bring cases in when it has a choice to make. It never has. Nor should it. No matter how many polls get taken, the selection of a venue for a trial — for any trial — should not be decided by poll or referendum. As for the cost: well, the cost of trying those accused of serious crimes is part of the cost of living in a free country rather than in a dictatorship where trials are superfluous, and an unchallengeable order by the dictator for a quick kill without trail or opportunity for defense takes their place. I like our way better.

However annoying some may find it, putting the accused on trial, and according him the protections of American law all defendants are entitled to, is one of the things that make us better — or used to — than the countries from which the terrorists come. We are not like them — or so we like to think — and our habit of putting even terrorists on trial is one of the things that makes that so. Not only was the Bush administration’s preference for incarceration for many years without trial of any kind a betrayal of a fundamental American value, it did not strengthen the United States. It did the reverse.

I’d also note that the Justice Department has a good record of winning convictions in terrorist cases. It tried the first bombers of the World Trade Center under, I think, Clinton. And convicted them. Timothy McVey was tried successfully as well, convicted and executed.

By: laytonian

laytonian — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:01:37 +0000

Wynona says ” This is clearly a military case of an individual who is not a US citizen and is not entitled to his “day in court.”
So, Wynona. Did you protest and complain about the other terror trials conducted under other administrations? Why not?

By: Al

Al — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:27:32 +0000

Clearly we make targets of ourselves when we conduct trials according to the rule of law and established precedent. Meanwhile, holding prisoners in secret facilities, where we extract evidence under torture, isn’t provocative at all.

Right?

I mean, if we don’t abandon our judicial system, then the terrorists have won!

By: Mark Shenefelt

Mark Shenefelt — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:11:36 +0000

The right is frothing spittle that some of these guys will be tried in civilian courts. At least they’re being brought to trial somewhere. The previous administration sat on the killers for seven years, but that was regarded as, of course, patriotic, be-tough, defend America policy.

Now the killers will be run through an American justice system, and Obama is getting trashed for it.

It’s sadly predictable, beyond hypocritical and also very hysterical.
.