Missouri Republicans condemn 9/11 trial decision
WASHINGTON — The announcement today that the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and four co-defendants will be tried in New York City drew praise from civil rights groups and from New Yorkers who believe the terrorists should be brought to U.S. soil from Guantanamo Bay to answer for their crimes.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, said this afternoon that it is “fitting that the 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site where so many new Yorkers were murdered.”
But the announcement by Attorney General Eric Holder triggered an outcry from many Republicans in Congress who have been unremittingly critical of the Obama administration’s decisions relating to the closing of the Guantanamo detention center and the fate of prisoners held there.
Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, pushed unsuccessfully last week for an amendment to Senate legislation that would have prohibited the use of taxpayer money to prosecute any of the 9/11 suspects.
Bond has echoed concerns that relying on civilian courts would unduly expand the civil liberties of terrorists and erode U.S. efforts to combat terror.
“The Obama Justice Department has prioritized political correctness over protecting the citizens of this country,” Bond said in a statement this afternoon. “With today’s announcement, those who voted to supprot greater privacy and constitutional rights for terrorists are now getting just what they asked for.”
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, is one of 169 House co-sponsors of legislation that would prevent terror suspects from being transported from Guantanamo Bay to the United States to face trial.
Luetkemeyer said in a statement today that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – who has confessed to being the chief planner of the attacks — and his co-defendants should be prosecuted in a war tribunal given their act of war.
“The president and his administration are making very serious decisions about Guantanamo Bay without any sort of plan or realization that bringing these terrorists to American soil poses serious security threats to the American people,” Luetkemeyer said.
Now the Republicans oppose the justice system? I for one cannot wait for the world to hear these lunatic terrorists attempt to rationalize their attack on the USA. It will do more than anything the former administration did to prove these people to be the animals we know they are, and to win the world to our cause. The Republicans want to maintain a climate of fear, but the rest of us are not that weak. God bless America!
So it takes a public platform and trial paid for by tax payer money for the world to hear the terrorist words that will prove they are animals? I would have hoped that their previous taped messages spouting death to America and the infidels would have spoken loud enough. And if that didn’t then their actions; murdering thousands of people with bombs and cutting the heads off of people and broadcasting it on the internet would have done the trick. The Republicans do not have to maintain a climate of fear, the terrorist do that themselves. Republicans maintain a climate of awareness that there are terrible people out there planning to do terrible things to us everyday. Because as much as people would like to think if we just leave them alone then it will all be alright it won’t. And all the open hands and apologies from the Messiah will not stop them.
Will you open the trial with another fly by of air force one just so you can again let NYC citizens know whose boss. Don’t you think New york has been through enough. I voted for this clown and I am ashamed and embarrassed that I believed this phony partisan.
What is it about due process, the American Constitution, and the Justice system that frightens Republicons so much?
Look, these guys were captured by the previous administration who tried every which way to avoid using constitiutional means to bring these characters to the bar. At every point the previous administration was ruled against by one of the more conservative Supreme Courts we have had.
As to the criticism that the current administration does not have a plan, this is coming from the same people who accuse it of “dithering”. Does it ever occur to anyone that planning actually takes thought and anticipation?
Perhaps you would prefer a trial on an island somewhere with webcasts etc?
Semantics, Missouri Conservative. Its not “fear” its “awareness”. Please.
The position and administration you defend is not conservative: it has not conserved american values of openess, truth, and justice it has not conserved the constitution, it has not conserved the armed forces, it has not conserved our alliances, it has not conserved the budget surplus we had. It is radicalism and fundamentalism: It has supported lies and torture, it has supported subverting the constitution, it has supported a war of aggression in Iraq for six years while dithering away the effort in Afghanistan, it has supported throwing away the alliace system for unilateralism, it has supported the destruction of the U.S. economy through uncontrolled deficits and tax cuts for the rich. Stop being a radical, be an American. Don’t be afraid. Once one of those animals is engaged in a cross examination for all the world to see, their evil will finally, truly see the light of day. We will be a stronger nation for it because we will leave the camp of the radicals and return to truth, justice, and the american way. God Bless America, land that I love, stand beside her and guide her through this night with the light from above.
I, as a conservative and a Republican, do not oppose or fear our justice system. Nor do I oppose Truth, Justice and the American way. I do, however, find it amusing to hear liberals spout American values when they and especially their party are doing everything under their power to eradicate American values. This politically motivated manuever is a case study in just that program. This is probably the most dangerous, naive, idiotic bumbling that this administration has yet to perform. Here are a few things to consider about the proposed trial.
1. These terrorists are not US citizens, worse they have comitted acts of war against the citizens of the US. They do not have, nor should they have, any of the Constitutional protections afforded a US citizen. To set the precedent that they are entitled to Constitutional rights will open us up to law suits from literally hundreds of thousands of former POW’s from WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan, for a host of infractions. This a WAR people, not a law enforcement situation.
2. Terrorist thrive on media attention. It is what makes them a threat. A suicide bombing in the middle of nowhere with no one around is useless. It takes media coverage to get the message out that the terrorist need. This trial will put the terrorists in the lime-light on the worlds largest stage. In short, we will give Osama Bin Laden and all of his ilk exactly what they could not get in any other way. Media coverage.
3. Where in the US can you find 12 people with enough detachment to sit on the jury? You can’t. How much of the evidence against these animals will be thrown out because of how it was obtained? How many different trial tricks will the Defense use? I think that after all is said and done, we the taxpayers will spend Millions of dollars for these scumbags to be aquitted on technicalities.
4. Lets say that they are found Guilty. Well at that point how many international organizations will be screaming that this was nothin but a show trial, and that the verdict was tainted? How many domestic organizations for that matter? Will they get the Death Penalty? And if they do, how many Appeals will they file? How many years will they sit on Death Row before they are executed? And if they don’t get Death, how many years will they be Martyrs for further Terrorist actions? Etc.
5. What if (as I am sure will happen) they get aquitted? We will have to set them free (we can’t hold them) and deport them to what ever country they came from. If their own Governments do not immediately imprison them, they will disapear into the populace, and reapear with their Great Leader OBL. Where they will become instant Heroes of the Movement. We will have told the world and especially the fundamentalist Muslims that we can be bested in our own playing field. And then Terrorism will come to America in such a way as to make 9/11 seem a childs play.
Write your Congressmen, and Senators. Do not let this stupidity happen. This is a mistake of epoch proportions, with consequences that we can only imagine. Stop the Stupidity.
So let me get this straight. Supporters of the opposition to the justice system are clairvoyant too? Not to mention still pushing the sole Bush administration logic of saying makes it so. Have some faith in the USA. Also, Bull, your argument disagrees with itself. POW’s are from war, so they can’t sue the justice system. Yes, its a complicated mess, but one that the american people in their wisdom can figure out, if given the chance. By the way, oppositon to simple-minded radical republicans does not automatically make one a whacky liberal. But, trying to label opposition to simple-minded radical republicans as such, was and is one of the pastimes of your ilk. disagreement is not disloyalty. Radical republicans have claimed a corner on wisdom but their actions and policies have proven them to be unwise. Give the american way a chance again, It is, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, “the last, best hope for mankind.”
E Stahl;
These people are POWs in all but name. This is a war, not a law enforcement raid. I have the greatest of faith in the American legal system and the American People. I served this country with blood, sweat and tears. I have also been alive long enough to see many miscarriages of justice on technicalities and other reasons. I am not clairvoyant, nor do I paint all opposition as liberals, only those that spout liberal dogma. The world and the American people know what kind of rabid beasts these terrorist are. Why do you want to give them the kind of publicity that they could only dream of in their wettest of dreams? Why do you want to subvert the very legal system that you say you support? Why do you want to subvert the American way you supposedly praise?
Why don’t you reread what I posted. Then why don’t you try to examine what I posted with some thought?
“Missouri Republicans condemn 9/11 trial decision”
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This is so old it makes me puke.
The Republicans - party of no - party of hate - would oppose whatever Obama’s administration does even if they said it was Saturday today, which is Saturday.
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This no, no, no, hate, hate, hate opposition is totally transparent and ineffective.
STL;
It is really getting just a little old to complain that Republicans are the “party of no, the party of hate”. All anyone has to do is keep informed on what is really going on in the world and they can see that the real party of hate is the Democrats. And they are the real party of no as well. I have a few years on me and I have seen the hate and vitriol spewed by the Democrats, as well as the fear mongering and fact twisting. Face it, YOU and your liberal cohorts are the true racists, haters, and fear mongers in todays American politics. Here are a few people for you to consider. Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, and Al Sharpton. Talk about hate and inability to be bipartisan.
Now why don’t you either say something on subject or go play with your dolls.