Manson didn’t have the right to subpoena classified information.
In a round about way, Holder is saying its better for us to not take these guys prisoner. Bin Ladin isn’t going to turn our system into a mockery, not because we’ll handle it in Guantanamo with a military hangman, not because Holder knows how to properly handle such a trial, but because we won’t take him alive. While probably true, it evades the question. Obviously, he’s saying to avoid a public kangaroo trial for Khalid Sheik Mohammed, to avoid letting Holder’s band of clowns try him, we ought to have killed him where we found him.
Holder is admitting that he has no business being AG.
My opinion exactly... and for the reasons that you stated. He's AG, not CENTCOM. He doesn't get to make those decisions, but he must be prepared if circumstances hand him OBL alive & on a platter. He's admitting he has no policy worth spit concerning the trial of an enemy mastermind.