President Obama's Military Tribunals | 05/15/2009 9:45 am

Obama to Kickstart Military Tribunals for Terror Suspects

Attorney general vows to not bring dangerous terror suspects from Gitmo to U.S.; Obama does balancing act on abortion.

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

He hasn’t even been in office six months and already President Obama has had to wrangle with two very controversial topics — terror detainee treatment and abortion.

Obama plans to retain the Bush administration’s military tribunal system for some Guantanamo Bay detainees, but with some expanded due-process rights for suspects, CNN reports. One such suspect who may come before these courts is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and conspirator in the beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. The administration still intends to prosecute some Gitmo detainees in federal court, says The Chicago Tribune, and only a small number will go before the tribunals. Obama suspended these tribunals when he first took office, and the administration may seek a second suspension so it can iron out the details of how the tribunals will work. Groups like the ACLU and Human Rights First are blasting the move.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Eric Holder tried to convince Republicans yesterday that dangerous terror detainees sprung from Gitmo wouldn’t be released on U.S. soil. "We’re not going to do anything, anything that would put the American people at risk — nothing," Holder told the House Judiciary Committee.

On abortion, not only has Obama been dragged into the contentious debate with his commencement address at the Catholic University of Notre Dame this Sunday, The New York Times reports, but with the forthcoming opening on the Supreme Court, as well. With Justice David Souter retiring, a spot on the bench will be open, and there’s little question that Obama will pick a pro-choice judge who will uphold Roe vs. Wade.

56 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Bush said it would be very difficult. Once again, he knew what he was talking about.

Here’s my fear, because I live about 2 miles from where at least two of these terrorists will be jailed. We would all be naive to believe that there are no terrorists in the United States. In fact, they live among us just waiting for the right word from "afar."

I fear that we will have suicide bombers in the United States in protest to have these prisoners released and sent back to al Qaeda. The Taliban and al Qaeda are always looking for any reason to kill Americans. Once they are out of Gitmo and placed in the United States awaiting trial, we are fair game.

That is very disturbing especially since our President went on his "We Suck 09 Tour" to Europe.

I’m missin’ you, George Bush!

By deber B on 05/15/2009 10:43 am

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agreed.

By nanchan u on 05/15/2009 1:48 pm

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deber — All this flipping and flopping around. The true lack of decisions. And, if a decision is made it is reversed and then apologized for. All of these decisions thus far are indeed disturbing. But, what did we expect, this country elected a man no one really knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone governed a city. Everything we see on a day to day basis is drip, drip. Not only is it disturbing it’s downright scary.

I truly think that Obama doesn’t really know who the real enemy is. I don’t think he and his administration are at war to defend us against terrorism - I think they are at war with the Republicans and have never abandoned the campaign trail. It’s been said by many on this site that "Bush only cleared the underbrush at his ranch" - IMO Obama should clean out some of the underbrush he has in his administration.

Also, stay off Air Force One - stay in the oval office. While you are galavanting around the country is going into the toilet. Small businesses are closing daily. What about all the promises, during the campaign, about how "small businesses are the backbone of this country". We need help out here. We are cutting salaries, we are having to lay off employees . I have written letters to you regarding the problems - I have e-mailed - I have called the White House hot line. It’s time to pay attention to us.

These things are important to me. I don’t care if you got a new dog and I sure as hell don’t care if you go to bed with a "hot" woman.

By Lady Gator on 05/15/2009 2:56 pm

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Lady Gator, I’ve offered from day one my opinion on how Obama should’ve handled this recession. First of all, the dems "enhanced" this recession by ignoring the GSH Reform bill. That alone, would’ve softened the real estate issue. Obama should’ve immediately cut taxes for small businesses which would’ve given them an infusion in cash….to keep their employees, etc. Secondly, he should’ve put $5,000 into each American who filed a tax return in 2008 with the stipulation that it had to be spent within 60 days. The penalty for not spending it would be a hefty tax for holding on to it. Can you imagine where we would be now if each American had gone out and spent $5,000.00? Pay back mortgage payments? Rent? Down payment on a house for some? Down payment on a car? New refrigerator for your new house? Pay your health insurance for the year?

The democrats had a pork agenda instead and big government on their priority list.

By deber B on 05/15/2009 3:23 pm

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We’ll just see what happens: tide is turning!

By hatchimitsu remon on 05/16/2009 10:47 am

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deber..I agree with yo 1000%!!! Instead we sit here 12 months later deeper in do dah!…uenemployment comp running out and running out of options! But of course as RAhn says ."should never waste a good crisis" to get things done!..easy to say when all the hardship his happening to others!

My husband and I have felt just that…that we were the sacrificial lambs..for his gain!

By S.J. Morgan on 05/16/2009 5:24 pm

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Indeed, SJ.

By hatchimitsu remon on 05/16/2009 5:38 pm

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SJ — "My husband and I have felt just that…that we were the sacrificial lambs…for his gain"

Oh, SJ - Amen sister! Monday, we are going to have to furlough yet another employee. We are wondering when all of this will end. I feel our employees, and other small businesses, like yours and mine, are going to suffer greatly. Even more than what we are already experiencing. A friend of ours - small business owner…told my husband that he ‘might’ be able to hang in for another 90 days and, after that, he thinks he’s just going to open the front door and throw in the keys.

Most of the people we know, in the same situtation, have been small business owners for over 30+ years. Some longer. Some are now in the second generation.

What my husband has to say is not repeatable on this site!

By Lady Gator on 05/17/2009 3:56 pm

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What a idiot statement is that? We have always been fair game, do you think that just because some of these people go on trial here it will be more of a threat. Yeah right, wait for a trial so we can come and blow up Americans…don’t do it before then, just wait so they know how we feel about their trials.

By Mel Berg on 05/15/2009 7:42 pm

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And, since I never post on religion and abortion, I’ll leave that to my fellow bloggers.

By deber B on 05/15/2009 10:47 am

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I pray that they keep these terroriswt contained. We cannot have another 9/11 in this country.

By Barbara B on 05/15/2009 10:52 am

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Obama has made big changes to the Bush policy. First the Obama administration IS going to try some of the detinees in federal courts as Obama pledged. Other changes are:

"The White House also will announce revisions that will ban the use of any evidence obtained through coercion and will restrict the use of hearsay evidence.

The rule changes also will give detainees more latitude in choosing lawyers to represent them, according to a U.S. official, who described them on condition of anonymity because of Friday’s announcement.

While suspects have a right to confront their accusers in federal courts, military commissions allow for more indirect, hearsay evidence. Under the Bush administration rules, the defense had to show why such evidence should be prohibited. Under Obama’s changes, the burden of proving the need for hearsay evidence will fall on the prosecution." - Chicago Tribune 5/15/09

By DeBúrca obj on 05/15/2009 11:29 am

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These freakin terrorists do not DESERVE the rights that recongized military combatant deserve. They are un uniformed, un declared combatants that do not come under any military rights, field manuals, Geneve convention or otherwise.

There is no "chain of evidence" other than they were caught fighting and killing Americans. Period. Cowards that were not in uniform that hide behind innocent citizens and they ‘deserve" the right that other recongized combatant deserve?

How do you figure that?

Face if DeBurca, your boy was spouting off about things that he had no experience or knowledge of during his campaign of lies. He is now learning that the Bush administration was not entirely wrong. Only Obama wants to change many "rule changes"

There needs to more changes in order to take these terrorist to trial under these "rights". It only takes one, to dismiss these murderers from justice.

By Kelly In Texas on 05/15/2009 12:18 pm

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This is the campaign pandering to the far left, Kumbaya Krowd…’Bush/Cheney are War Criminals’ crowd. On steriods. But…changes in these rulings (to appease the KosKids) will have far reaching affects. Affects that can be September 11 like.

By Mary Quite-Contrary on 05/15/2009 12:24 pm

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It amazes me how something happens that you disagree with you immediately seek out 9/11…. the gift that keeps on giving.

You people talk about how there are "terrorists all around us" but they dont want to attack us till the time is right.

no suicide bombers hanging out at a mall…… no attempt at another highjacking….. no kind of semi serious thought at an attack….. but we better be scared…. it just might happen again.

If you want to know the truth why "Bush kept us safe" it was because there was no one to keep us safe from.

By Roger from Ohio on 05/15/2009 10:56 pm