This will likely not win me friends…
Mimority Leader Boehner put out a press release today entitled: SHOCK VIDEO: HOUSE DEM SAYS TERRORISTS SHOULD RECEIVE SAME “DUE PROCESS” RIGHTS AS U.S. TROOPS
OK, now, I really don’t like the Dem in question, and I do like Boehner, which is why I already hate this post, because I disagree with the guys I should like, and agree with the dude I don’t. Anyway, here is Dem Rep Adam Schiff’s comments, followed by the video:
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): “I think we can use the Uniform Code of Military Justice in the military courts which are very much a home-court advantage and we can held up to the rest of the world that we’re giving these detainees the same due process we give our own troops when they’re brought up on court martial charges. Nothing more and nothing less.”
Far from being shocked, this seems logical to me. A trial is what we use to determine guilt or innocence isn’t it? I don’t really see why the due process rights of Detainees should be less or more than anyone else. (See Below for Clarification) Troops get off or convicted all the time, and terrorists won’t make any difference. To me to suggest otherwise smacks of the same argument that we fight over Affirmative Action and other things. Equality of Opportunity does not equate to Equality of Outcome, right? So, I don’t really care if we get these terrorists every due process right in creation, if they are guilty (and these bastards are) then our system will convict them.
So, tell me where I am wrong? I just think that the rules should be followed. Are child molestation and shoplifting equally reprehensible acts? No, but the courts martial will follow the same procedures, right? So, give these Jihadis all the procedural rights that I (would have) got(ten), I am totally fine with that, provided that if (when) found guilty they get what is coming to them.
Based on the logic that the procedure should be different, then that US Soldier who threw a grenade in his commanders tent should be tried under what procedures?
BY WAY OF CLARIFICATION: If they lined these guys up and shot them I also wouldn’t care. Foreign Jihadists don’t get any constitutional rights whatsoever, so I really don’t care. But, I think I am more in disagreement with the use of this in a political mold. If we’ve decided to try these guys in a military court, I don’t want to see us change the due process rights, only because then we’ll just be accused again (as we have for years) of making up Kangaroo courts and such.
By virtue of the recent Supreme Court Decisions regarding Gitmo Habeus Rights, and the jackass decision to possibly give Habeus rights to Bagram Detainees, at this point I say just try them all and punish them and let the ACLU bitch after the fact.
Category: Politics
I am sure the troops get the right to see the evidence making Gov’t case against them?? And if the troop gets off on technicality or whatever, he is not running to the person/organizations that provided, in this case insufficient, evidence against him and tries to kill off/blow up them?? And the troop does not have an ACLU lawyer, except if he/she is a IVAW deserter, who would publish said evidence and the names in the NYT in case his/her client is wrongly convicted. So how can you argue for giving them the same procedure as the US troops??
re: olga:”who would publish said evidence and the names in the NYT in case his/her client is wrongly convicted.”
By “wrongly convicted”, do you just mean plain “convicted”?
Since to every ACLU atty every terrorist client is always wrongly convicted, I assumed I did not have to use the actual quotation marks :o)
First off I agree with most of what you’ve said TSO.
We are America, we should hold fast to our principals, the very chief in my mind is right of law. I don’t care if they have the best lawyer in the world defending them. You’ll never hear me talk bad about about the lawyer for upholding his oath to the law. So long as he is defending his client, not defaming the US by proxy. Just ask John Adams about defending unpopular clients…..(Boston Massacre Trial)
It simply comes down to this for me.
They shouldn’t have been captured in the first place for the most part anyway. Thats just a testament to how well disciplined the Joes are. Now that we are stuck with them, they should be afforded a trial, I’d rather dig them graves then give them lawyers, but c’est la vie.
Most these guys were captured on the battlefield bearing arms against us. Its not like a trial will take that dang long. Get it on and get it over. I think that is one of the bigger mistakes of the Bush admin. It would of shut down alot of the BS leftist propaganda on GWOT.
Step #1- Return these asshats (the terrorist/enemy combatants- not the democrats) back to where we found them.
Step #2- Give them the weapons or similar they were in possession of when captured.
Step #3- Yell, “GUN!!” to all your compatriots.
Step #4- Place your weapons back on safe and head back to the FOB for some Grean Beans.
2010 is the earliest we can return the other asshats back to where we found found them.
Matt…I think your solution is the best one yet!!!
Sorry TSO, Gotta go with Matt on this.