Old Sheet of Music Same GOP Tune: Trust Gitmo Trials Not Federal Courts

Effective or Not: Not ....

Despair for Number Cleared for Release

(Plus, GOP doesn't trust our Federal prisons, either)

Entire article is here … worth reading – here is my condensed version for this posting.

Even if Mr. Obama manages to transfer all low-risk detainees to other countries, closing Gitmo won't be easy. Why?

Several dozen prisoners considered too dangerous to release would have to be imprisoned in the U.S., which is a critical step Republicans in Congress adamantly oppose because, they say, it would endanger American lives.

My note: So GOPers in Congress do not trust the Federal prison system? Who is in holding in some them (i.e., Supermax in Colorado)”

1.  Ramzi Yousef, the man convicted of leading the 1993 World Trade Center attacks. Ironically, he has claimed that his restrictions at the Colorado Supermax are “just plain unfair.”

2.  Terry Nichols, partner of Timothy McVeigh, was convicted of carrying out the 1995 Oklahoma City Federal office bombing (McVeigh was later executed) – Nicholas is serving several life sentences. 

3.  Ted Kaczysnki, better known as the “Unabomber,” is serving a life sentence for a mail bombing spree that lasted more than 20 years.

4.  Robert Hanssen, a former FBI agent, is serving a life sentence for passing classified information to the Russians.

5.  Eric Rudolph, member of the extremist group Army of God, guilty of four bombings, including an abortion clinic is serving a life sentence.

Federal Courts vs. Military Commissions

In 12 years, the military commissions have convicted only seven individuals. One conviction, of Osama bin-Laden’s driver, was reversed on appeal. It was overturned for exactly the same reason that a conviction in the Abu Ghaith case would likely be reversed if it were brought in a military commission.  Salim Hamdan, the driver, was convicted for “material support for terrorism” – not traditionally considered a war crime. Since the military commissions only have jurisdiction over war crimes.

Further, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the commissions didn’t have the authority to convict Hamdan. Why not? Conspiracy has never before been considered a war crime. So any conviction on that charge by the commissions would likely face the same fate in an eventual appeal.

In a press conference earlier this month, Obama said he still hoped to strike a deal with Congress. He added, however, that he reserved the right to move the prisoners to the U.S. under his executive authority.

The Bush administration faced no political opposition on transfers and was able to move 532 detainees out of Guantanamo over six years, 35 percent of whom returned to the fight, according to U.S. intelligence estimates. 

The Obama administration has been able to transfer 131 detainees over seven years, 10 percent of whom have returned to the fight.

What is amazing is that our Congress has no trust in Mr. Obama and by extension they say they can’t trust the Federal judicial system also. What does that say about our entire judicial system if Congress doesn't trust it? Kinda pathetic and ironic at the same time.

Someone is woofing someone – my hunch is that the public is being taken for a ride based on petty GOP political pandering and vote seeking. 

Thanks for stopping by.