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| Home Front: WoT |
| Opposing view: Or 'We don need no stinkinng lectures' |
| 2010-02-09 |
| Administration disrupts terrorists' plots, takes fight to them abroad. Pretty good coming from the Administration that is let by the Lecturer/Scolder/Pedantic in Chief. Politics should never get in the way of national security. But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe. But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe. Yes they are! Politics should never get in the way of national security. Agreed but then "You never let a serious crisis go to waste." Immediately after the failed Christmas Day attack, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was thoroughly interrogated and provided important information. Senior counterterrorism officials from the White House, the intelligence community and the military were all actively discussing this case before he was Mirandized and supported the decision to charge him in criminal court. Mirandized: Oh, The Catch and Release Program (CARP or is it CRAP)? The most important breakthrough occurred after Abdulmutallab was read his rights, which the FBI made standard policy under Michael Mukasey, President Bush's attorney general. The critics who want the FBI to ignore this long-established practice also ignore the lessons we have learned in waging this war: Terrorists such as Jose Padilla and Saleh al-Mari did not cooperate when transferred to military custody, which can harden one's determination to resist cooperation. It's naive to think that transferring Abdulmutallab to military custody would have caused an outpouring of information. There is little difference between military and civilian custody, other than an interrogator with a uniform. The suspect gets access to a lawyer, and interrogation rules are nearly identical. No. First the CIA extracts information and then turns the terrorist over to the military. These terrorists are non-uniformed combatants without a country and not entitled to the Geneva Convention or our Constitution. Would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid was read his Miranda rights five minutes after being taken off a plane he tried to blow up. The same people who criticize the president today were silent back then. The same people who criticize the president today were silent back then. I don't think so--at least not at the Burg. Cries to try terrorists only in military courts lack foundation. There have been three convictions of terrorists in the military tribunal system since 9/11, and hundreds in the criminal justice system -- including high-profile terrorists such as Reid and 9/11 plotter Zacarius Moussaoui. Cries to try terrorists only in military courts lack foundation? When the United States entered World War II, Adolf Hitler ordered the remaining German saboteurs to wreak havoc on the country. The responsibility for carrying this out was given to German Intelligence (Abwehr). In June 1942, eight agents were recruited and divided into two teams: the first, commanded by George John Dasch, with Ernst Peter Burger, Heinrich Heinck and Richard Quirin; the second, under the command of Edward Kerling, with Hermann Neubauer, Werner Thiel and Herbert Haupt. All eight German agents were tried, convicted by the Military Commission, with six men sentenced to death. President Roosevelt approved the sentences. The constitutionality of the military commissions was upheld by the Supreme Court in Ex parte Quirin and the six men were executed by electrocution on August 8. This administration's efforts have disrupted dozens of terrorist plots against the homeland and been responsible for killing and capturing hundreds of hard-core terrorists, including senior leaders in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and beyond -- far more than in 2008. We need no lectures about the fact that this nation is at war. Are you sure the Administration hasn't hired Baghdad Bob? Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda. Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. They will, however, be dismantled and destroyed, by our military, our intelligence services and our law enforcement community. And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. Does anyone really believe this statement? Why not experience a little (or a lot) fear? Maybe they should know some fear. John Brennan is Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. |
| Posted by:JohnQC |
| #3 I just Googled John Brennan, and discovered the "author" is Obumble's top counter-terrorism advisor. We are DEFINITELY in a world of hurt - or heading there at warp speed. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2010-02-09 17:13 |
| #2 The media are just so lazy. It is not hard to report facts, but why bother if people will buy crap anyway? |
| Posted by: newc 2010-02-09 13:30 |
| #1 And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd. Thanks for the Bureau and DOJ pitch. How are we coming with the MAJ Hasan investigation? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-02-09 12:34 |