Countdown: Terror Trials
By Heather Saturday Nov 14, 2009 6:30am
Lawrence O'Donnell reports on the expected right wing freak-out over Eric Holder’s announcement that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed among others will be tried in New York rather than military tribunals. Jonathan Turley weighs in and notes that this is a return to the rule of law after the disgrace that was the Bush administration.
Turley has more at his blog-- 9-11 Defendants to be Given Real Trials as Holder Stands on Principle — Sort Of:
Attorney General Eric Holder has ordered actual trials for five 9/11 suspects rather than military tribunals. The decision places the United States squarely back on the road of the rule of law in giving due process even to our most hated defendants. The five defendants include 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The other four are Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi and Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali. However, this courageous act was diminished by an inexplicable decision of Holder to order five other defendants — including USS Cole suspect Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri — be tried in a military tribunal. I will be discussing this decision tonight on MSNBC Countdown.
Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn condemned the move as putting “political ideology ahead of the safety of the American people just to fulfill an ill-conceived campaign promise.” I am not sure what ideology means but I assume it is a reference to the Constitution. What makes us safer is to offer the world an alternative to these men; to show that we are not the hypocrites that we appeared during the Bush Administration.
The decision to send some detainees to military tribunals, however, is a baffling contradiction. Holder has denied the Administration the high ground in the debate by trying to appease both sides and deny due process to some of these accused individuals. It is a case of snatching hypocrisy out of the jaws of principle.
The right is going crazy over this of course since they don't want the Bush administration exposed for the treatment of these terrorism suspects. Limbaugh admits as much in the rant they play in the beginning of the segment whether he meant to or not.
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To prevent it from turning into another media bread and circus fear fest. But everything has to be a show in the U.S.
Ka ching!
Americans like their Shows.
record as condoning it but additionally about money..remember the Carlyle Group, the Arms dealers, the KBR/Halliburtan scam, the Afghan/Iraq contractors scams, Unoncal and Karzai Brothers, the intellectual laziness and blithe bullying of the elected officials--not just Cheney, Rummie, or Bush!...Congressional complacentcy!
The Obama Admin is once more putting the truth out there for all to see..I would not be critical about him not pushing for indictments for Bush..It is going to come out now....Brillant move!
The Million Dollars Question to the "Mastermind":
How did you manage to demolish THREE BUILDINGS by using TWO PLAINS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9BofDUXv0
Interesting?
Can't both be done for Bush Co.?
Maybe they will move the trial to Delaware. Wilmington! Hope, hope, hope.
The boogiemen are coming.
As for the USS Cole. They attacked a US Navy ship. The military gets to put him on trial.
As for KSM. Civilian court.
Bring all of the Guantanamo prisoners into the regular justice system, close Gitmo and prosecute the torturers and war criminals.
Establish the rule of law.
the terrorist suspects would have to pay for their own lawyers.
Many ambitious lawyers would jump on such a world attentive case for free.
Fake ass protesters like that eternal cocksucker Lieberman clearly don't respect our nation's rule of law.
..."Lieberman"
One does not need a doctorate too deduce where (Lie-berman's) true interests are generated or focused. I hope holy-Joe will personally experience the damning effects his judgment so often insidiously manufactures.
Like a boxing match... I'd really like to see him KO'd before the last round, or at least see him throw in the towel. His actions are a bane to humanity. IMO
It looks like the fair trial given to KSM is being used to stealthily cement a system of unfair trials for everyone else.
A tsunami of outrage is already being unleashed by the right.
I think their anger is less than genuine.
Obama is doing the dirty work, constructing the bogus Military Commissions. He's the perfect man for the job being a former Constitutional Professor. Nobody will suspect him unlike the smirking dimwitted Bush. The fascist right knows this. And they're more than happy to let Obama do the heavy lifting.
When Jeb or Sarah takes the Presidency in 2012 they'll have Obama to thank for a justice system that allows them to achieve a pre-determined outcome of guilt or imprisonment in ANY CASE they desire.
KSM is merely the distracting headline act. His guilt is all but certain anyway.
The real prize is a beautiful new justice system that always works in favor of the king!
(moderate or liberal) while his underlying actions are diametrically opposed (Republican). See Greenwald's take on this.
Obama just can't seem to resist being two-faced.
Detainees to get the "state-always-wins" system of "justice"
It's be way better to just do like Bush did?
If that makes sense . . .
While the "media" covers the "debate" between those who believe KSM should get a fair trial in a U.S. court behind the scenes other detainees will be tried in bogus Military Commissions.
Turley only made a brief reference to this yesterday on Countdown.
I urge C&L'ers to call Obama and tell him EVERY detainee deserves access to our real courts. Let him know that Military Commissions (which are not Military Tribunals) are completely unacceptable.
Military Commissions are Kangaroo courts suitable for a Banana Republic. They always assure the verdict the King wants...Guilt and imprisonment. That out to scare the bejeezus out of every American.
"""John Cornyn condemned the move as putting “political ideology ahead of the safety of the American people."""
Cornyn is a pile of shit. He's in no position to accuse anyone of playing politics.
btw John: Fearmonger much? Oh and due process is not a political ideology. It's the law of the land, asshole.
in New York and let the New York general public be the judge and jury.
I wonder what what would happen.
You have gone completely off the map.
guys . ."suspects" to shreds.
that back. How Neanderthal of you, Evet.
What would happen is they would rip these
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 06:49 — Evet
guys . ."suspects" to shreds.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-P_MDXq_oY
.
The terrorists will be dead of old age by the time this is trial is concluded. And of course the Lawyers on both sides will be the big winners.
The suspense is killing me--how are doctors involved in this?
as i was driving home from work yesterday, i had hannity on the radio, because i like to end my day with lies and distortion, and heard something that almost made me wreck...whomever was filling in for him was talking to Rep Gomer (?) from TX, and he asked the congressman "So, what do you think of the 9/11 mastermind being tried in New York City". the congressman replied "Well, I think the mastermind is actually in the White House". Let that marinate for a second: a US Congressman actually said that he thinks the mastermind of the worst attack on US soil ever is in the White House. so...yeah...apparently there is no depth to which the right will not sink.
. .
Rather then a higher calling the wingnut's-reslugs have a lower calling apparently. Plus they want to drag everyone into the grave with them.
THAT should be played over and over again on YouTube...is there anyway someone can get a copy of that conversation?
being used as a tool-instrument of Corporations. When's Obama gong to end that sh*t?
Obama isn't and never was Kucinich.
Obama is a corporatist and a moderate.
Nobody should be surprised, he said who he was when he was running. The RWNJ's want to call him a liberal but he never was so.
Ending that stuff is something for which I will not hold my breath for fear of falling down from lack of oxygen.
It is also no surprise. He is exactly who I voted for because he was the best we had to offer.
I am much more closely alligned with Dennis but I never thought he had a real chance at the top dawg slot.
Such is life, eh?
during the campaign . . . Yes we can! and that crap.
However McCain/Palin was not an option.
I had only a glimmer of hope Obama would come through with all his "promises" . . like about 1% chance out of 100 he would come through.
Only politicians get elected to office.
"yes we can" is a political slogan not a plan for any politician.
If you thought that was a "plan" - you're just being silly.
As with all politicians I expected to be happy if he kept half of his campaign promises - a better average than most.
So far - I am not disappointed but I didn't expect too much I guess.
marketing. Marketing a "Product" no guarantee. Kind of like one of those appliances from China that look good on the packaging and right out of the box but fall apart in 6 months.
Branding of other politicians?
lol
sense of humor. Despite my pinpoint accuracy at times.
.ok.
And the 6 months is up on this one already.
Do I need to go back and start reposting all my Obama campaign stuff I posted here? I said . .
This is bullsh*t back then and I'm still saying it.
You have a nice day.
you also. I mean, what else can we do? Wallow in the crap with Beck and Limbaugh for the rest of our lives?
Some folks do exactly that.
I hope you aren't one.
I have no memory problem.
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 07:20 — mudshark
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Neither do I
Which is surprising considering all the pot I did back in the day...
What...huh???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWVnPlUCrf8&fe...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLkVCn2gxcw&fe...
If you really believe campaign rhetoric from ANY politician - you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
IMHO
Lard-Ass Limp-Dick, with his huge ignorant mouth, always comes out out sooner or later stumbling his words and proves the absolute hypocrisy and stupidity of the Reslugs.
haven't you noticed?
"His fans eat it up"
But only his leftovers and crumbs.
Kind of a trickle down effect?
or something . .
if the trials were always hidden someplace else for fear one of the accused would spout off something about CIA involvement with them in the past, like Saddam tried to let on. Now what will happen when they're fully in public? Nothing I suppose.
in court? Google "The Chicago Seven."
but they do every now and again if the accused feels like they're not getting a fair shake, as I would also. The judge isn't God and (s)he could kiss my ass if he ran the trial like he was one.
If your trial was pre-determined and you knew you were going to be executed at the end of it, why not be as contemptible of a bastard as you can be, I would.
They would put you, handcuffed, in a small room with a monitor to watch. At the Chicago Seven trial, some of the defendants were cuffed, shackled, gagged and left to sit in the courtroom like that.
And to quote Judge Judy, "I don't care what you feel!" The defendant's feelings will not be considered. Just the way it is.
Now what would you do if you were a prosector and knew that you could not get a conviction on a client because your own government had completely and purposefully destroyed the legal basis? You know they tortured the fellow, and that at any time in the proceedings someone will say it. Is it cause for a mistrial? Perhaps. Is that what the government wants?
How about when you can't find a jury pool that hasn't been under a rock? How about asking juror's about their ability to give a fair trial? How about the one juror that can be sure to vote against, and thus save the prosecutor from ridicule by making it a hung jury?
This is a slick plan to be sure they can't be convicted, but making a great show of the fact that they are doing justice the american way.
Casting now for "The Sting III" How to make it look like you are acting within the law when you really don't give a god damn.
the US legal system is broken...unless you are a rich white man.
It has nothing to do with anything that happened outside of the trial. It's usually something one of the lawyers did. The torture issue is NOT relevant to the charges brought against KSM. They are separate and involve different defendants. That is a fact. Bitching about things not based in reality just make us look stupid.
personally, i want the Bush administration exposed. even now this tragedy that has happened at ft.hood is some how being/(trying to) smeared onto to the obama administration by lower rung (r) opposition. i understand this may NOT be the most important reason for bringing this to public courts vs. military tribunals but i'm fed up with the "social engineering" strategies to cover up corruption by corporations/government. these war(s) were designed to be prolonged to be occupations.
Last night, Karl Rove was on O'Reilly's show. They both were bashing Obama for his "insane" decision to hold these trials in NYC. Rove seemed unhinged. I thought he was going to cry.
Thank you, General.
So he's sensitive now. Awww.
... A people are only as good as their laws allow, and integrity uphold.
It seems odd when given the best actor(s) and or jurist... justice still manages to evade us at times... accordingly.
If just the facts were all that mattered, our courts would not be so backed up or inundated with such folly.
If just the facts were all that mattered, the venue would be unimportant.
If just the facts were all that mattered, our world would not be filled with so much ambiguity. --T_C ;)
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♥
Are we such cowards that we cannot allow someone to have his day in court? What happened that caused us to become so cowardly that reguardless what the crime we cannot have a criminal trial?
I just don't get it?
Is it just the fact that your republican leaders have proven themselves to be so corrupt and incompetent that you are willing to believe that everyone is as incompetent and corrupt?
I am tired of republicans holding everyone hostage to a set of mythical, attainable but totally ignored conservative values. When the only values you ever project are greed and stupidity.
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness that is killing America!
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