Thursday, July 03, 2003
MILITARY TRIBUNALS MOVE FORWARD
The first al Qaida members designated for trial before a military tribunal have been approved by President Bush after being screened by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
Human rights groups are incorrect in their legal analysis of the Bush administration move which has ample precedent under the laws of war for trying war criminals caught in a zone of battle. However given the squeamish nature of European opinion toward the death penalty the captives selected to face the tribunal are likely to the most monstrous of the bunch - " Islamist Eichmanns " as it were - who Social Democratic critics of the administration's war on terror will have an extremely difficult time defending morally. This will particularly be the case since the defendents will be allowed considerable leeway in selecting a competent civilian attorney to aid their military appointed defense lawyer going above and beyond previous American military precedent from WWII when SS troops captured fighting out of uniform faced drumhead court-martials and firing squads. ¶ 4:59 PM
The first al Qaida members designated for trial before a military tribunal have been approved by President Bush after being screened by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
Human rights groups are incorrect in their legal analysis of the Bush administration move which has ample precedent under the laws of war for trying war criminals caught in a zone of battle. However given the squeamish nature of European opinion toward the death penalty the captives selected to face the tribunal are likely to the most monstrous of the bunch - " Islamist Eichmanns " as it were - who Social Democratic critics of the administration's war on terror will have an extremely difficult time defending morally. This will particularly be the case since the defendents will be allowed considerable leeway in selecting a competent civilian attorney to aid their military appointed defense lawyer going above and beyond previous American military precedent from WWII when SS troops captured fighting out of uniform faced drumhead court-martials and firing squads. ¶ 4:59 PM
