In the last year we have seen the Obama administration, the civil liberties movement (read ACLU) and the MSM move in the direction of changing our legal system to make it more palatable to what may be called “International Liberalism.” Exhibit “A” is the decision to “try” Khalid Sheik Mohammed in federal court. I put quotes around the word “try” because we are assured that no matter what the court’s decision is, he will not be released. If so, we have the interesting spectacle of the beginning of high profile show trials in the US; one in which the punishment is announced before the verdict.
Ignoring the announcement of indefinite detention before the trail begins, it can be argued that the trial of KSM is – in a certain sense – a move in the direction of offering greater constitutional protections people who get caught up in the American judicial system. The Left is proudly proclaiming that the forms of justice are going to be served even if those people are not American citizens and even if they were waging war … er, “man made catastrophes” …against us.
Ignoring the announcement of indefinite detention before the trail begins, it can be argued that the trial of KSM is – in a certain sense – a move in the direction of offering greater constitutional protections people who get caught up in the American judicial system. The Left is proudly proclaiming that the forms of justice are going to be served even if those people are not American citizens and even if they were waging war … er, “man made catastrophes” …against us.
Make no mistake, one of the reasons the Obama administration is holding this trial is that it wants to curry the favor of the International Liberal community. It's an effort to get the Euro-Left and the Arab world to approve of us.
But the presumption of innocence and the demands for due process go out of the window when the accused are Americans and they work for the hated private security firm Blackwater. Indictments were recently thrown out against five Blackwater guards involved in a shooting in Iraq as they were escorting and guarding American diplomats. So what’s the NY Times headline?
Iraqis Angered as Blackwater Charges Are Dropped.
That is also a major theme of this story from the Virginian Pilot.
But back to the NY Times, we are told in this “storytorial” a few things that are rather laughable.
But the presumption of innocence and the demands for due process go out of the window when the accused are Americans and they work for the hated private security firm Blackwater. Indictments were recently thrown out against five Blackwater guards involved in a shooting in Iraq as they were escorting and guarding American diplomats. So what’s the NY Times headline?
Iraqis Angered as Blackwater Charges Are Dropped.
That is also a major theme of this story from the Virginian Pilot.
But back to the NY Times, we are told in this “storytorial” a few things that are rather laughable.
Many Iraqis also viewed the prosecution of the guards as a test case of American democratic principles, which have not been wholeheartedly embraced, and in particular of the fairness of the American judicial system.
This is now going to be the focus of the story: Iraqi reaction to American law. Iraqis are now judges of America’s role as a democracy. If we don't convict the Blackwater guards Iraqi cabdrivers and policemen will lose faith in the American judicial system. I wonder what the Iraqis make of the OJ Simpson trial or the dismissal of the charges against Obama associate Bill Ayers? Should we ask?
The ruling on Thursday appeared to confirm the feelings of some that their skepticism had been justified. For Iraqis directly affected by the violence, the result was incomprehensible.
Some victims and their families said they did not understand how charges could have been dropped despite what they regarded as overwhelming evidence.
As Obama would say, this is a teachable moment. Perhaps someone from the NY Times can explain the rules of evidence that American courts have created to the overwhelming applause of people who work for the NY Times and the ACLU.
The Times reporters find several gunshot victims who express their outrage at the court decision. It seems that in the case of the Blackwater guards American legal rules should not apply if it makes Iraqis unhappy. Perhaps it’s time to schedule another show trial, after the one for KSM. This time five Blackwater guards can be in the dock with a pre-determined punishment to meet Iraqi legal standards. We know what the verdict will be, the trial will come later. The Euro-Left and the Arab world will love us more. The ACLU will applaud.
I wonder, can we re-visit the Simpson and Ayers verdicts?
1 comment:
Isn't it amazing how sensitive the Iraqis have become since Saddam is gone. They used to be governed by a guy who had rape rooms and threw people into meat grinders and acid filled vats for entertainment.
The Sunnis and Shiites blow each other up on a regular basis. Women are treated as property. (Do you ever wonder what its like in those black robes in 130 degree heat?)
Not to mention the televised beheadings proudly brought to us by the great religion of peace.
I can see why Obama wants to impress these guys by how fair we are. This goes right along with Gitmo detainees going to Saudi Arabia for art lessons before heading back to Yemen to train rich Nigerian kids how to blow up airplanes with underwear bombs.
Post a Comment