Rense.com



Bush Wants US Military Courts
To Try Terror Suspects
11-13-1

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush signed an order on Tuesday that would allow the U.S. military to set up special courts to try foreigners accused in the Sept. 11 attack and similar assaults, a White House official said.
 
The military order gives Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld the authority to establish the tribunals, White House counsel Al Gonzales told Reuters. The order does not name anybody who would be subject to prosecution in the military courts and does not apply to Americans, he said.
 
``The president would make a separate independent finding that someone was a member of a terrorist organization like al Qaeda and that it was in the interests of the United States that the person be prosecuted,'' Gonzales said. ``That person would then be delivered to the secretary of defense who would take control of the individual.''
 
Gonzales said the order gave the president an option and an additional tool other than civilian courts for bringing to justice those directly responsible for attacks like the Sept. 11 assaults on New York and Washington.
 
``The president thinks it can be a helpful option now in bringing al Qaeda suspects to justice,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
 
The United States has blamed Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network for the suicide plane assaults that killed more than 4,500 people.
 
Gonzales, a former Texas Supreme Court judge who is the president's top lawyer, said a military commission could have advantages over a civilian court. He said it was easier to protect sources and methods of investigation in military proceedings. Also, a military trial could be held overseas.
 
Justice Department spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said: ``These are obviously extraordinary times and the president wants to have as many options available to him as possible. This particular option does not preclude any Department of Justice options that might also be available.''
 
There was precedent for the military tribunals, Gonzales said, citing the trial of eight German saboteurs during World War Two. He said the system also had been used in the 19th century in the U.S. Civil War and the Mexican War.
 
Bush signed the order before leaving Washington for his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
 
 
Comment
 
 
Drumhead Courts Martial - Part 1
From http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/marketthoughts
11-14-1
 
Bush Orders Terror Trials By Military Courts
 
By Ron Fournier
AP White House Correspondent
Tuesday, November 13, 2001
 
WASHINGTON - President Bush signed an order Tuesday that would allow for the trial of people accused of terrorism by a special military commission instead of civilian courts, The Associated Press has learned. The order, signed by Bush before he left for Crawford, Texas, gives the Bush administration another avenue to bring the Sept. 11 terrorists to justice, said White House counsel Albert Gonzales. "This is a new tool to use against terrorism," Gonzales said in a telephone interview. The White House was to release the order late Tuesday. ___
 
Welcome to Drumhead Courts martial. It's a 'new tool'. Oh goody. The implication that 'new tool' means good, that 'new tool' means consistent with our Constitutional rights which they SWORE to uphold. There is ALWAYS an excuse why taking away our rights is 'necessary' for some reason. In the name of security. In the name of this, in the name of that. "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin.
 
Trials for accused in a civilian court is an ESSENTIAL LIBERTY. In as cut and dried a manner as I can muster, I can truly say that what is left of 'america' neither DESERVES safety NOR Liberty. Our 'leaders', and I GAG when I call them that, have abandoned our Constitutional rights in the name of 'security.' "Where liberty dwells, there is my country." - Benjamin Franklin
 
This is NOT "MY" country. No liberty dwellin' here. I have repeatedly written that what we have is a complete bastardization of the Constitution. Every step of government that does not have the HIGHEST regard for liberty is to consolidate and wield more power, more force. Nothing could be MORE evident than the new Drumhead Court Martial law.
 
 
Drumhead Courts Martial - Part 2
 
This is one of the darkest days I have ever seen in my life.
 
Perhaps you are historically unaware, but in a civilian court, the presumption of innocence applies. This is NOT true of a military tribunal. in a military tribunal you are PRESUMED guilty. You must PROVE your innocence.
 
In 'military' situations they do not have the time and the luxury to stop what they were doing an conduct a full scale trial of the accused with all the amenities. They were in a serious situation. For the good of the service, discipline and morale, they had to get on with it and over with it in a hurry. It was considered 'better' that a innocent man be punished in THAT environment than to allow the effects on the military of a guilty man going free. In fact, the more punishment meted out, the better, as far as they were concerned because of the chord it struck with the troops and the message it sent. Don't even THINK about being accused of anything much less do something to be accused of. Liberty was NOT as important as security, discipline or morale. There is no liberty in the military. You do what you are told when you are told or you are EXECUTED.
 
And now our liberty is removed from us.
 
For the chief magistrate of the US to say that any citizen accused of terrorism is now to be handled in a forum that PRESUMES guilt is the most basic violation of all our rights.
 
This is tyranny. NAKED, unvarnished, in-your-face tyranny.
 
But it was OK for our forefathers to rebel against it but not us. If we rebel over something FAR more serious we are seditious. They were HEROES we would be traitors.
 
Liberty can NOT be preserved by its suspension. When your liberty is 'suspended' how do you get it back unless they give it back?
 
Is our liberty contingent upon when THEY decide we should have it or is it the GIFT OF GOD?
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23566-2001Nov13.html



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