I am confident in the ability of our courts to provide these defendants a fair trial, just as they have for over 200 years.

HOLDER: The alleged 9/11 conspirators will stand trial in our justice system before an impartial jury under long-established rules and procedures.

I also want to assure the American people that we will prosecute these cases vigorously, and we will pursue the maximum punishment available.

These were extraordinary crimes, and so we will seek maximum penalties. Federal rules allow us to seek the death penalty for capital offences, and while we will review the evidence and circumstances following established protocols, I fully expect to direct prosecutors to seek the death penalty against each of the alleged 9/11 conspirators.

The right answers back that it’s wrong because KSM will use the platform to disgrace us, and the “debate” devolves into how good or bad the trial will come out. The larger point is being ignored… the fact that 9/11 was NOT a crime, but was an act of war.

Whether or not the current Administration believes it, there is a movement within Islam that is at war with the United States. That movement is transnational and untraditional and doesn’t fit neatly within the laws of war. But they are at war with us.

Some of the movement uses the trappings of State power, as the leadership of Iran, to wage a series of proxy wars against us. Supporting groups, including Al Queda, are part and parcel to that aim. Other groups, like the Muslim Brotherhood, and it’s American cousins, The Muslim Students Association, Muslim American Society, Islamic Society of North America and the American Muslim Council, are just as hostile to western society and wage their war politically and demographically… but war it is. At least in their minds.

In America’s view, much of the war is proudly, even joyfully celebrated, as a demonstration of our multi-cultural tolerance. The rest of the war is simply a series of crimes… an unrelated series of crimes. Today, President Obama and Attorney General Holder publicly denied the war in the most public and powerful way possible… they have turned enemy combatants into federal defendants.

This Administration is granting Americas’ enemies, all of the hard earned rights of American citizens. This Administration has fundamentally changed the nature of the war our Armed services are trying their best to win. We no longer have enemies in this war, instead we have fugitives who the President has just granted, the rights but not the responsibilities of the rest of us. This decision is a very steep and very slippery slope which will begin to bind the arms of our warfighters…

This fundamental change has nothing to do with the ability of our legal system to render justice and has everything to do with denying that an enemy exists. That same denial was demonstrated through BHO’s anti-war action and rhetoric. He has simply never met an enemy, certainly not one he won’t try to appease.

Today’s decision was wrong and will be harmful, because of the damage it will do to our ability to wage war. He is setting the precedent, our laws will change, policy will change and we will be less secure for it, and it has nothing to do with these particular defendants and everything to do with the underlying assumptions and denials that BHO used to make the decision.

Whether or not KSM is convicted… I believe he will be… but regardless of how the trial plays out, the damage is in giving an enemy combatant the right to our court system.

It’s a boneheaded, naive decision that will be dangerous to our Armed Forces, will hurt our intelligence agencies and will coddle those who wish us harm.

We’ll have a wonderful show of American Justice for the world to see. BHO will hold it up as a world model… and even in success… especially with the success of the trial, the real damage will be done. A body of law affecting warfighters for decades will have been set through this dangerous precedent. It’s the biggest slap in the face that the President has, so far, delivered to the Profession of Arms. I only expect it to get worse.

Topics: Countdown to War |

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