[RaceBannon]

Obama advisers say bin Laden can appeal to U.S. civilian courts

Barack Obama has expressed support for the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of civilian prosecution of terrorism suspects, and his advisers said Tuesday that if Osama bin Laden were captured, he too should face civilian prosecution. – AP Bill Sammon, The Examiner 2008-06-18 07:00:00.0 Current rank: # 13 of 6,452

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama’s foreign policy advisers said Tuesday that Osama bin Laden, if captured, should be allowed to appeal his case to U.S. civilian courts, a privilege opposed by John McCain.

Responding to questions from The Examiner, Sen. John Kerry and former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke said bin Laden would benefit from last week’s Supreme Court decision giving terrorism suspects habeas corpus, the right to appeal their military detention to civilian courts.

“If he were to be brought back,” Clarke said of bin Laden, “the Supreme Court ruling holds on the right of habeas corpus.”

Kerry, who applauded the Supreme Court ruling, said it will be carried out by whichever candidate wins the presidency.

“The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that they have those rights,” he said. “If John McCain were president, he would have to give them those rights.”

Randy Scheunemann, McCain’s senior foreign policy adviser, said those rights should not be extended to bin Laden or the hundreds of terrorism suspects being held by the U.S. military at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“The individuals we hold at Guantanamo are very, very dangerous people,” Scheunemann said. “To give them full access to the federal courts and the criminal justice system is fraught with danger, moving forward, and likely to make America less safe, unlike Senator Obama’s claim of supporting the decision that it made America safer.”

On Monday, Obama applauded the civilian prosecution of terrorists before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“In previous terrorist attacks — for example, the first attack against the World Trade Center — we were able to arrest those responsible, put them on trial,” he told ABC. “They are currently in U.S. prisons, incapacitated.”

Obama said President Bush has relied too heavily on military prosecution of terrorists, which has “given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, ‘Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims.’ ”

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Obama wants “to take a step back to the failed policies that treated terrorism solely as a law enforcement matter, rather than a clear and present danger. Barack Obama appears to believe that terrorists should be treated like criminals — a belief that underscores his fundamental lack of judgment regarding our national security.”

The attack sounded familiar to Kerry, who was the Democratic presidential nominee four years ago.

“This is exactly what they tried to say back in 2004, and the record absolutely contradicts it,” Kerry told The Examiner. “Every Democrat voted to go to war and attack the Taliban and al Qaeda, the people who attacked us. That is not a [legalistic] approach.”

bsammon@dcexaminer.com

Examiner

[Fido969]

Obama thinks Osama can do a couple of years in Club Fed, and then get a job teaching at a leftie university, just like his buddy Bill Ayers.

[yldstrk]

Before he gets bombed by a drone? Don’t think so.

[al_c]

Dead people can’t appeal to anything.

[RaceBannon]

If this doesn’t kill his chances, nothing will

[xzins]

I suspect, then, that Obama won’t be captured.

[rhombus]

...his advisers said Tuesday that if Osama bin Laden were captured, he too should face civilian prosecution.

Don't just stand there, get Obama to say this too so he can't back away from it so easily.

[SumProVita]

Unbelievable!

[mgc1122]

Behold the “Winnie the Pooh” policy makers at work .... Johnny Mac needs to grab onto this one with both hands and run with it.

[kittymyrib]

Of course, the only sane result from the Supreme Court’s insane ruling is to take no prisoners. Shoot them on the spot. It will save a lot of time and money.

[VeniVidiVici]

I think we should immediately rush to trial a top terrorist detainee. Before the general election.

Let the trial turn into an absolute Democrat comedy when the Islamofascists take it over with their chants, praises to Allah and “Bushisms”. Make it an absolute circus.

Then let’s see how quickly the Democrats rush to defend “their rights”.

[DManA]

Prosecutor: "Mr bin Laden, are you responsible for the deaths of 2000 innocent people?"
Defense: "Objection, irrelevant!!"
Judge: "Sustained."

[McGruff]

Expect to hear ‘This is not the Sen. John Kerry and former White House counter-terrorism czar Richard Clarke I knew’ in the near future.

[Rummyfan]

“If he were to be brought back,” Clarke said of bin Laden, “the Supreme Court ruling holds on the right of habeas corpus.”

If he's brought back, President Bush should have him hung from the South Portico of the White House, and leave the carcass there to rot.

[samtheman]

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[Rummyfan]

“If he were to be brought back,” Clarke said of bin Laden, “the Supreme Court ruling holds on the right of habeas corpus.”

If he's brought back, President Bush should have him hung from the South Portico of the White House, and leave the carcass there to rot.

[Jeff Head]

Obama...the enemy within.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

[caseinpoint]

Incredible. Do these people not realize the difference in focus between criminal prosecution and military action? That is, criminal prosecution is largely concerned with punishing acts which have already occurred and can be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt while military action is concerned with preventing future acts of war. While you can punish through the court system attempts at crimes and conspiracies, it is largely ineffective to prevent future acts. Try calling the cops if you suspect a crime will go down soon.

So now we have an assurance from the Obama Campaign that when my city is nuked and I am reduced to a shadow on the wall, the attackers will be prosecuted to the extent of international law. How comforting.

[ken21]

‘jus like an american gang banger.

/s

[purpleraine]

If he’s caught by ground troops, I hope someone has the foresight to put a bullet in his brain. Otherwise, we’ll have 5 years of pity parties in the US courts and media.

[McGruff]

Obama said President Bush has relied too heavily on military prosecution of terrorists, which has “given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, ‘Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims.’ ”

Yeah. It's BRush's fault. Now all the terrorist want to stay at Club Gitmo.