Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Laurel and Hardy go to Trial... (UPDATED)

Well this was not the news story that I was expecting to come out of the administration on the heels of the release of Ron Suskind's book (see post below)...
but as the Hamdan trial goes into the second day of "jury" deliberations I am reminded of the one constant in the last eight years and an aspect of the administration that I have often held as our last and greatest hope.. the ineptitude of this administration. Seems the Prosecution just realized that they had not put in any evidence to support the jury instruction for "war crimes." The issue is that military battles are not war crimes, war crimes include things like purposely attacking civilians, attacking religious institutions... you know.... all the things we (the U.S.) have been doing.
Well it seems the prosecution at most proved that there were two missiles in one of the cars that Hamdan was driving (that info was of course forced out of Hamdan under the torture techniques that we copied from the Soviets and North Koreans... but that is besides the point according to the military judge).... missiles that were not targeting civilians but, if the prosecution is correct were supposed to be used to shoot down military planes.
Problem is, EVEN if that is true that is not a war crime but what we more commonly refer to as...WAR.

Fortunately the "Jury" did not let that little "technicality" I described above to get in the way of finding Hamdan guilty of something. Also please see the comment below by the talking dog
reminding us that the charge that the "jury" found Hamdan guilty of was not even a law on the books until five years after Hamdan arrived at Guantanamo.
Click on the title to read the Miami Herald story. I am also providing this link to the Miami Herald Archives which hosts many of the legal documents (including the jury instructions) for the Military Commission process and other documents on the detainees.

The Way of the World

Ron Suskind's new book is out and it is rocking the Bushies... I would not be surprised for some major news story to break from the administration today in attempts to take the spotlight away... But get the book, not only will you read about the corruption in our government but Ron has written about Mr. Al-Ghizzawi in a way that allows you to follow along with world events with little glimpses into the plight of Al-Ghizzawi. Click on the title to look at politico's take on the book.