http://www.1115.org/2009/11/16/holder-will-still-hold-two-dozen-guantanamo-detainees-indefinitely-without-charge/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:09:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://www.1115.org/2009/11/16/holder-will-still-hold-two-dozen-guantanamo-detainees-indefinitely-without-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-164750 sarabeth Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:51:16 +0000 http://www.1115.org/?p=11139#comment-164750 Not sure I can buy that. The fact is that "much smaller fry" have consistently had charges dismissed and/or been ordered to be released by military tribunals and/or federal judges over the last year, without much of a political firestorm. Not sure I can buy that. The fact is that “much smaller fry” have consistently had charges dismissed and/or been ordered to be released by military tribunals and/or federal judges over the last year, without much of a political firestorm.

]]> http://www.1115.org/2009/11/16/holder-will-still-hold-two-dozen-guantanamo-detainees-indefinitely-without-charge/comment-page-1/#comment-164748 Don SinFalta Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:31:02 +0000 http://www.1115.org/?p=11139#comment-164748 Seems simple enough to me. If there is a chance that any of them might be tried in any sort of venue and fail to be convicted, the resulting political firestorm would make KSMs pale by comparison. The administration is sure they are going to convict KSM, and when they do, they'll engage in all sorts of "I told you so's" wrt the wingnut punditocracy, while at the same time trying to make it look to the rest of us like they've somehow improved our failure at applying the rule of law to terrorists. But if a much smaller fry were acquitted or the charges dismissed, then what would they do? They'd have the right wingers baying about how you cannot use the justice system on terrorists if they let them go, or you'd have the non-crazy complaining that they are holding a demonstrably innocent person if they kept them imprisoned. That's a no-win political situation. Seems simple enough to me. If there is a chance that any of them might be tried in any sort of venue and fail to be convicted, the resulting political firestorm would make KSMs pale by comparison. The administration is sure they are going to convict KSM, and when they do, they’ll engage in all sorts of “I told you so’s” wrt the wingnut punditocracy, while at the same time trying to make it look to the rest of us like they’ve somehow improved our failure at applying the rule of law to terrorists. But if a much smaller fry were acquitted or the charges dismissed, then what would they do? They’d have the right wingers baying about how you cannot use the justice system on terrorists if they let them go, or you’d have the non-crazy complaining that they are holding a demonstrably innocent person if they kept them imprisoned. That’s a no-win political situation.

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