It's not, at least for me, that we feel the civilian courts are inadequate
beckstcw Send a noteboard - 24/11/2009 05:28:51 AM
It's the fact that trying an enemy combatant who was captured overseas in a criminal court in America raises a whole bunch of problems for me in fighting this war.
Like I said earlier, I'm an Army interrogator. If I'm in Afghanistan, and every detainee that comes into my booth has the option to be tried in a US court, with all the rules and restrictions that puts on me, how can I possibly be expected to do my job as well as I can? Will I have to read him his rights and have a lawyer present during every interrogation? Will the information I collect be admissible as evidence if I don't Mirandize him beforehand? Basically, this decision forms a precedent that is going to hang over every US intelligence professional as we go about the course of our duties, and could needlessly handcuff us in our performance. What you are suggesting amounts to limiting our warfighting capabilities in exchange for... what?
If I have two options, civilian courts or military tribunals (let's leave aside the option of declaring them all POWs and detaining them indefinitely- while infinitely preferable, we both know it isn't politically viable) one of which will hamper me in my ability to execute this war and the other of which will not, isn't that the most important issue?
Like I said earlier, I'm an Army interrogator. If I'm in Afghanistan, and every detainee that comes into my booth has the option to be tried in a US court, with all the rules and restrictions that puts on me, how can I possibly be expected to do my job as well as I can? Will I have to read him his rights and have a lawyer present during every interrogation? Will the information I collect be admissible as evidence if I don't Mirandize him beforehand? Basically, this decision forms a precedent that is going to hang over every US intelligence professional as we go about the course of our duties, and could needlessly handcuff us in our performance. What you are suggesting amounts to limiting our warfighting capabilities in exchange for... what?
If I have two options, civilian courts or military tribunals (let's leave aside the option of declaring them all POWs and detaining them indefinitely- while infinitely preferable, we both know it isn't politically viable) one of which will hamper me in my ability to execute this war and the other of which will not, isn't that the most important issue?
No need to interrogate Osama bin Laden?
20/11/2009 12:48:27 AM
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oO uhm, what?
20/11/2009 12:54:13 AM
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If they're tried INSIDE the US, then yes, they are entitled to due process.
20/11/2009 01:44:08 AM
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Yeah, a lot of people were fuzzy on that till this started.
20/11/2009 09:30:39 AM
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on the other hand, we're more than willing to take them out back with a confession.
20/11/2009 06:34:12 PM
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New York is now asking for $75 MILLION for the KSM trial
20/11/2009 01:43:26 AM
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If this trial were being held in any other country
20/11/2009 01:56:07 AM
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It's a terrible precedent no matter how you look at it.
20/11/2009 02:13:46 AM
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It IS a terrible precdent, hence you and others are citing it 65 years after WWII ended.
20/11/2009 09:23:45 AM
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Spare me the bullshit.
20/11/2009 01:57:16 PM
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I will if you will.
20/11/2009 02:55:30 PM
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No, you won't. You never will.
20/11/2009 06:14:30 PM
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You're putting your cart before your horse is the problem.
23/11/2009 05:40:46 AM
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You don't think this is a military struggle? Wow.
20/11/2009 02:52:26 PM
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Allow me to point out...
20/11/2009 03:02:33 PM
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That's the thing, they aren't a terrorist group
20/11/2009 04:54:31 PM
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It would help if you would offer any argument in favour of your stance.
20/11/2009 08:43:08 PM
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I only use the word army cause I can't think of a better one
21/11/2009 04:32:01 AM
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Military struggles involve militaries.
20/11/2009 03:23:14 PM
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Once again, bullshit.
20/11/2009 06:09:31 PM
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This is wrong
20/11/2009 07:41:35 PM
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We're a long way from the shore of Tripoli.
23/11/2009 05:59:19 AM
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Your little diatribe in the beginning only makes me glad...
22/11/2009 05:32:57 AM
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I understand your "jihadist narrative"
22/11/2009 06:36:41 PM
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No you don't
22/11/2009 11:16:18 PM
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Oh, so you know better than Army attorneys about Miranda rights?
22/11/2009 11:52:00 PM
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I can explain it to you right now if you want?
23/11/2009 08:21:48 AM
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Credible legal and moral justifications for not trying terrorists in civilian court:
23/11/2009 02:56:19 PM
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Re: Credible legal and moral justifications for not trying terrorists in civilian court:
24/11/2009 04:55:12 AM
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I'm glad that you will never be in a position where a decision you make can affect my life.
23/11/2009 12:27:35 AM
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Actually people of my thinking are already making decisions that affect your life.
23/11/2009 08:29:24 AM
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Please explain to me how military tribunals compromise my principles?
24/11/2009 02:54:18 AM
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And your little hyperbolic rant would make more sense if it were grounded in reality.
22/11/2009 11:47:17 PM
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Looks like we'll get a Not Guilty plea, and a defense focusing on condeming US foreign policy
23/11/2009 12:36:47 AM
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They'll publicly accuse us of tyranny and brutality in front of a jury and without our censorship.
23/11/2009 08:27:13 AM
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My main objection is the awful precedent set by trying prisoners of war here in America.
24/11/2009 02:57:13 AM
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"My main objection is the awful precedent set by trying prisoners of war here in America. "
24/11/2009 06:57:34 AM
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We've had Mohammed in custody for over 6 years...
23/11/2009 07:56:49 AM
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I've already responded to your absurd statements, but let me reiterate a few here
23/11/2009 02:59:09 PM
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And I've responded to yours
24/11/2009 04:57:58 AM
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It's not, at least for me, that we feel the civilian courts are inadequate
24/11/2009 05:28:51 AM
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Good analysis of the situation.
23/11/2009 08:17:01 AM
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It isn't about sending a message. It's about horrible war fighting strategy.
24/11/2009 02:59:31 AM
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No. It's about not using a horribly ineffective strategy just to send a message to terrorists.
24/11/2009 09:29:06 AM
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enemy combatants and terrorists
23/11/2009 08:03:25 PM
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They're not different because from the Third World, but because terrorists.
24/11/2009 08:09:13 AM
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