When Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan he thought he would be given a lawyer and stand trial in New York. Today President Obama’s Justice Department granted the mastermind of the September 11th attacks his wish. Soon, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees will be sent to New York to stand trial in a civilian federal court – just as he wanted.
Terrorists who kill innocent people and do not abide by international law should not be housed on U.S. soil and granted the same rights as American citizens. President Obama and House Democrats support the idea of bringing terrorists onto U.S. soil as a way to honor the Constitution. Bringing terrorists to the U.S. and affording them constitutional protections does just the opposite – it weakens our judicial system and undermines our Constitution. From this day forward, acts of war on our country will be treated as capital crimes.
The purpose of terrorism is to change the way of life of freedom loving people. By trying these terrorists in an American court we demonstrate the greatness of our country by showing that despite the efforts of terrorists, our country is greater than they and our way of life will prevail. No matter how heinous the allegations, our court system will work and provide these individuals the very rights they tried to destroy for all Americans. The criminal trial of these suspects is living proof they failed. God bless America.
That kind of trial infers that he will be judged by a jury of his “peers.” We are Americans and we are NOT his peers. Those who are not citizens of this country should not be afforded the liberties and securities of such citizenship. For crimes of this nature, allowing this man to set foot on American soil is an appalling insult to the memory of those that died and the rest of us who still suffer the consequences of the actions he’s being charged with. It undermines the very security of America which he is being charged with egregiously breaching to begin with. This does not honor our constitution, it disgraces and undermines it.
Don’t you worry about revenge. US drones kill Pakistani civilians all the time.”Act of war” or collateral damage? Who the heck knows anymore. Where does international law stand on that?
This is an outrage.
It’s all about discrediting the Bush administration and the Intelligence community. All at the expense of the 9/11 families and every American. Mr Holder (President Obama) couldn’t do this with a direct investigation, so he goes through the back door by holding a civilian trial for an enemy combatant caught in a foreign country. A military tribunal is the precedent and the only acceptable course of action.
As with many people in the administration, I don’t see a love of this country, only distain. My hopes were high for new leadership and I’ve been kicked in the teeth.
Mr. Culberson,
You wrote “Bringing terrorists to the U.S. and affording them constitutional protections does just the opposite – it weakens our judicial system and undermines our Constitution.”
You fail to say how it weakens our judicial system and undermines our Constitution. What is your reasoning?
And you say “From this day forward, acts of war on our country will be treated as capital crimes.”
Do you mean to say we will bring people who are accused of committing acts of war against the U.S. to this country for trial in a court of law or do you mean we will kill them on the spot without benefit of a judicial proceeding? Did you introduce legislation to this effect?
Oops, never mind. I am new to this blog and thought I was reading the words of Rep. Culberson.
Congressman Culberson,
I have just heard that your colleague, Congressman Louis Gohmert (R. Texas) is considering legislation to block the intention of bringing KSM and the other terrorists to New York. Please contact him and offer your help!
This is absolutely outrageous and must be stopped!
Does this mean that our soldiers will need to read Miranda rights to everyone they capture on the battlefield? What if Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was not ‘read his rights’? Could he be let go on a technicality? These are troubling questions. It sounds as if President Obama and the House Democrats are playing into the hands of the terrorists.
Oh geez. Looking for an adult. All those making comment without truly understanding just sound like pundits. Remember the Constitution?
Oh, were you a pundit today or was it last night?
Trying to have both ways are you.