Senate candidate Rob Simmons has metaphorically wet himself with this somewhat hysterical (on several levels) press release:For months, I have warned about the possibility that Connecticut could be identified as an alternative venue for the trial of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.Yikes! You mean an accused murderer might actually be held accountable for his alleged crimes? Yes, that would be terrible! (sarcasm, in case you couldn't figure it out)
Today's report confirming that the White House is considering such a move should be extremely troubling to Connecticut's political leadership. As New York finally realized, the costs and security risks that come with such a trial are enormous, and Connecticut is in no position to assume them any more than Manhattan.Of course Mr. Simmons leaves out the little fact that the US Government is going to pay for security, and the trial will likely bring much needed economic benefits to our state.
KSM is responsible for the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans in an act of war against our country. He should be tried in an offshore military tribunal where he belongs.Uh, ignoring the silly "KSM" thing for a second (why does it bring the image of fried chicken in a bucket to mind?), the reason President Obama wants to move the trial onto US soil is so we can FINALLY get around to delivering the justice to Mohammed that has thus far eluded him and the mourning families of the 9/11 victims! If military tribunals are so goddamned swell, how come they haven't already convicted the guy?
Because there is obviously some kind of problem with the tribunal system. There are hundreds of enemy combatants being held indefinitely at Gitmo for the simple reason that the military doesn't want anything to DO with holding tribunals, which may expose them for mistakes they might have made.
And here we are, going into our ninth year after the terrorist attack, why is it at all surprising that a Republican goes back to the well once again and serves up a nice bucket-full of fear to the citizens?
Even Rudy Giuliani was for domestic trials before he was against them. What changed?
Obviously, the answer is "the party of the President". With that little development, we've suddenly seen the Republicans go from a gung-ho, anti-terrist, hang-em-high, frontier-style lynch mob to a bunch of scared, weak-willed, lily-livered, pants-wetting crybabies!
Hell, I'll be thrilled about finally getting some justice for 9/11. If they decided to hold the trial right here in the Milford Superior Court, I'd get in line each morning at 2AM to try and get a seat in the courtroom! I'm sure there will be a lot of empty chairs available that would have gone to Republicans, if they weren't so busy hiding under their beds!
The entire text of the press release is here.
Nice going, Rob. You're really lowering the bar for your party.
You know what else he's scared of?
13 comments:
Do you remember the Fugs?
They wrote and recorded a song called "CIA Man" back in the sixties and whenever I read about Simmons, it pops into my head. Just seems appropriate.
I found out today in tracking down the YouTube stuff that the Coen Brothers had used the song under the credits in their CIA movie, Burn After Reading. The Fugs live on.
Here's one of several videos available on line -
The Fugs - CIA Man
Here's the lyrics -
The Fugs - CIA Man lyrics
Their name is from Norman Mailer's Naked and the Dead. He used that spelling to get "Fug you" past the censors. Great times, then.
oldswede
I can just imagine Simmons singing along with "Slum Goddess". Well, actually I can't.
However did we survive the Bobby Seale trial without these thoughtful, caring Republicans?
I lived in the Yale area during the trial and the demonstrations. Believe me, it felt very much like the republicans were in charge. Plywood on all the storefronts, cops everywhere, the National Guard in the streets and the smell of teargas hanging over the neighborhood. A redstater wetdream. Only bright spot was passing by Abbie Hoffman standing on his head on the green in the morning.
oldswede
I, too, remember those days.
I also remember an America where our so-called leaders did not advise us to bow before Tyranny's raised fist.
How odd, then, that those who profess to possess such undying love for our country and its "traditional values" are saying we should not confront these radicals and defeat them with our best weaponry. I can imagine FDR, on December 8, 1941 saying to Congress that it would be too dangerous to confront the Empire of Japan.
All I can say is, if you are too much of a coward to stand up to the challenges of our free society, I want no part of your America.
Scene from the courtroom:
The Prosecutor to KSM on the witness stand:
"Please tell the court how you were able to get NORAD to stand down and not intercept the airliners."
"Please tell the court the names of the people who, mere days before, made 'put options' on the only two airlines that had craft hijacked."
I could go on, because there's so so much more that clearly points to an operation that could not possibly have been run form a "cave in Afghanistan."
And Simmons has a CIA background... (thanks OldSwede)
And then there's this:
http://www.bollyn.com/index.php#article_11656
(it says they don't even have the right guy, and his US professors would know it)
"Wide Wide River" lyrics - THE FUGS
http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/w/widewideriver.shtml
"River of shit
River of shit
Flow on, flow on, river of shit
Right from my toes
On up to my nose
Flow on, flow on, river of shit
I've been swimming
In this river of shit
More than 20 years
And I'm getting tired of it"
It's been 8 1/2 years since PNAC's "new Pearl Harbor."
Another thing- with a public trial, we would see a lot more of this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkCos-y-WWM
and it would be impossible to keep it out of the cameras broadcasting to millions nationwide.
That's Daniel Sunjata, the star of "Rescue Me."
SO, I guess your main reason for trashing this country is that you're afraid to let someone say something you don't like...or the possibility this is the wrong guy.
SO, you call this patriotism. SO, you call this courage.
SO, you call yourself an American.
SO sad.
Go back into your spider hole, & allow Americans to do the work of preserving your right to spew any garbage you wish.
I dunno Bob, I kind of like the idea of a public trial of that terrorist. I detest how much business is being conducted behind a shroud of secrecy. Especially after 8 years of Bush's refusal to be open about anything.
Bob, if you read my posts, I agree 1,000% with you. I don't care whether the trial is held in New York or New Haven (or New Jersey), as long as one is held.
“I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that [our] duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.” - THomas Paine
WEB,
Your posts are a little confusing. Who is this 'you' that is attacked in them? Seems to be a pronoun without an antecedent.
oldswede
Sorry, that should have been WHB. I need a new keyboard and glasses.
To oldswede:
Now that I've re-read my posts, I agree with your critique.
In my first post on this thread, "you" referred to those so-called "patriots" who oppose trying these guys in civilian court.
Thereafter, I was responding to lakezoarian.
I apparently failed to give my posts my usual painstaking 1 millisecond of review before sending...
That's a lot more time than I typically spend proofing mine!
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