The Constitution of The United States as ratified by the people of every State begins with these words in it’s preamble, “We the people of the United States.” Notice it does not say,”We the people of the United States and the World,” or We the people of the United States and Afghanistan. The words of the Constitution are clear, the Constitution protects American citizens. The laws and procedures in place have been voted on and accepted by the citizens calling America home, citizens guaranteeing for themselves a system to live by. For visitors to this country the protections they glean while visiting are a privilege granted as guests in our national home, they are not a right.
Today the braggadocio of wannabe socialists, globalists, and those persons just plain ignorant on the issue of tribunals sound much like dogs barking behind a closed door. They claim by using military tribunals for terrorist justice, the government ( the people ) is suspending constitutional mandates. There’s nothing like dragging out a top shelf fogger to cross the eyes of the public.
Mandates? Mandates? Exactly what mandates would that be? Show me the mandate that claims to throw American protection of law over violent men of a hostile country, men who’ve not only proclaimed War on America and followed up their declaration by killing thousands of Americans, but also seek to do further damage by continuing their assault on Americans from inside our own borders?
The next little gimmick they hit you with is, “Secret Justice.” Politicians of dubious worth enjoy whispering this trigger word. Secret, oh my, Lions & Tigers & Bears, oh my. It seems the Democrat Party is still beating the dead horse of the politics of personal destruction while attempting to create a witches brew the public will swallow.
Guess what? Military Tribunals aren’t secret although they can be held within such confidentiality that evidence can be for judges eyes only. This one fact is enough to cause half baked journalists to fall into a dead swoon at not being able to gain a front row seat. The Nuremberg War Crime trials were a tribunal, as were the Japanese War Crime trials. There is a vast difference between a secret court and a court of secrets. There are also precedents which the bug-eyed, foam-flecked, tone deaf bell ringers ignore. Such as, Ex Parte QUIRIN, 317 U.S. 1, argued July 29-30, 1942. – Decided July 31, 1942. – Per Curiam Decision Filed, July 31, 1942.
In this case men of a foreign nation (Germany) hostile to America came into the country specifically to sabotage industry and kill people at their leaders request. Gee, sound familiar? What did the Supreme Court of the United States say? Basically they said tribunals in times of war had a correct function. Are we not at War? When Osama bin-Laden declared war on America was not America harmed? Did innocents not die on September Eleventh? America when attacked has a duty not only to the general welfare of it’s people, but to protect the concepts and values within our own Constitution against the violent aggression of bio-weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and chemical weapons such as anthrax through the mail. If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, has feathers like a duck, it’s a duck.
Yes, America is at War, just ask Osama & Mullah Omar why they’re not sunning themselves in lounge chairs and drinking iced coffee right now.
Another argument we hear is that war prisoners should be tried in International Court. Pardon me? The International courts do not have jurisdiction. Brussels is not the victim. America has allies on our side in this War, but we are the victim, not Germany or Spain, or Great Britain. Sure the issues at stake are extremely large but, none of these countries are still trying to pull the innocent and dead from under tons of rubble from two skyscrapers. Perhaps these socialists would like America to give up it’s sovereign rights as a Country? When did America through all it’s States claim it could not deal effectively and justly with it’s enemies? Did New york suddenly float away from America to become it’s own country? Bin Laden never spoke of any other countries he was at war with, only The Great Satan America.
Another trigger phrase to be wary of is Due Process Of Law. Gad, just typing the phrase makes me want to put on black robes and take the bench. The claim seems to be that somehow if the Uniform Code Of Military Justice is used for trial purposes, it is illegitimate. This is pure hype and bunk. There are rules of procedure, judicial process, judicial proceedings, rules of evidence, and everything else that’s required for a full and complete examination for justice.
Perhaps we should give these terrorists, those who aid and abet terrorism, hide in our country, accept our hospitality, hijack planes, use them as weapons to kill, batter the economy of Millions, and send Anthrax letters through the mail system, the protection of American Law as a sign of America’s greatness in spirit. I’ve a great spirit. I say kill them all, and if we can’t do that, give them the American military tribunal where a panel of judges will weigh justice.