McCain goes after Obama on terrorism
Seeing an opening on the terrorism issue, John McCain's campaign is bashing Democrat Barack Obama for suggesting, after last week's US Supreme Court ruling giving Guantanamo Bay detainees the right to challenge their detentions in federal court, that terrorism suspects should be prosecuted in civilian courts as criminals.
"What we know is that, in previous terrorist attacks -- for example, the first attack against the World Trade Center, we were able to arrest those responsible, put them on trial. They are currently in U.S. prisons, incapacitated," Obama said in an interview with ABC News Monday evening. "And the fact that the administration has not tried to do that has created a situation where not only have we never actually put many of these folks on trial, but we have destroyed our credibility when it comes to rule of law all around the world, and given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, 'Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims.' So that, I think, is an example of something that was unnecessary. We could have done the exact same thing, but done it in a way that was consistent with our laws."
That prompted this from McCain foreign policy advisor Randy Scheunemann:
"Barack Obama's belief that we should treat terrorists as nothing more than common criminals demonstrates a stunning and alarming misunderstanding of the threat we face from radical Islamic extremism. Obama holds up the prosecution of the terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993 as a model for his administration, when in fact this failed approach of treating terrorism simply as a matter of law enforcement rather than a clear and present danger to the United States contributed to the tragedy of September 11th. This is change that will take us back to the failed policies of the past and every American should find this mindset troubling."
In dueling conference calls with reporters today, Scheunemann said Obama is advocating a "policy of delusion" that reflects a "Sept. 10th mindset," while Senator John F. Kerry said McCain has an "Iraq war mindset" that blinds him to America's real security challenges.
And McCain's campaign ratcheted up the back-and-forth by calling on former rival Rudy Giuliani, who made his national reputation for his actions as New York's mayor after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center.
"Throughout this campaign, I have been very concerned that the Democrats want to take a step back to the failed policies that treated terrorism solely as a law enforcement matter rather than a clear and present danger. Barack Obama appears to believe that terrorists should be treated like criminals -- a belief that underscores his fundamental lack of judgment regarding our national security. In a post 9/11 world, we need to remain on offense against the terrorist threat which seeks to destroy our very way of life. We need a leader like John McCain who has the experience and judgment necessary to protect the American people," Giuliani said in a statement.
UPDATE: Obama, himself, hit back, telling reporters on his campaign plane that Republicans have no "standing to suggest that they've learned a lot of lessons from 9-11."
"Let's think about this: these are the same guys who helped engineer the distraction of the war in Iraq at a time when we could have pinned down the people who actually committed 9/11," he said. "What they're trying to do us what they've done every election cycle, which is to use terrorism as a club to make the American people afraid."
And yet the Columbus Dispatch - a notoriously conservative newspaper - had this article on its front page today:
Guantanamo: beyond the law
Criminals made into terrorists
Radicals at prison instilled anti-U.S. passion in others
GARDEZ, Afghanistan -- Mohammed Naim Farouq was a thug in the lawless Zormat district of eastern Afghanistan. He ran a kidnapping and extortion racket, and he controlled his turf with a band of gunmen.
U.S. troops detained him in 2002, although he had no clear ties to the Taliban or al-Qaida. By the time Farouq was released from Guantanamo, however -- after more than 12 months of what he described as abuse at the hands of American soldiers -- he'd made connections to high-level militants.
In fact, he'd become a Taliban leader. When the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency released a stack of 20 "most wanted" playing cards in 2006 identifying militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Farouq was in the deck.
A McClatchy Newspapers investigation found that instead of confining terrorists, Guantanamo often produced more of them by rounding up common criminals, conscripts, low-level foot soldiers and men with no allegiance to radical Islam and then housing them in cells next to radical Islamists.
Soldiers, guards or interrogators at the U.S. bases at Bagram or Kandahar in Afghanistan had abused many of the detainees, and they arrived at Guantanamo enraged at America.
The Taliban and al-Qaida leaders in the cells around them were ready to preach their firebrand interpretation of Islam and the need to wage jihad -- Islamic holy war -- against the West. Guantanamo became a school for jihad, complete with elders who issued fatwas -- binding religious instructions -- to the other detainees.
(Read the rest here.)
We have to face ALL the facts, not just the ones that support what we already believe.
McCain is such a fraud. When the first announcement came out about the ruling by the Supreme Court, he seemed to be in agreement. Then 2 days later, he changed his tune. Flip-flop at its best.
They are criminals and we have a Constitution to protect and defend. Ignoring our Constitution is just as dangerous to our society as any terrorist can be, and John McSame should be ashamed to stand with W on this matter. Breaking the ultimate law of our great nation cannot go on any longer. We must fight to protect our rights!
What's next? Arresting Americans on suspicion of "terrorism" and holding them without trial or charges? Once the door is open, who says where it stops?
By what measure, does McCain call the prosecution of criminals in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center a "failed approach" and the military courts at Guantanamo a success? Almost 7 years after September 11, 2001, prosecution of Guantanamo detainees has just begun! And the Supreme Court has ruled that these detainees have the constitutional right to challenge their detention in U.S. courts after all. The Bush administration should have thought of this problem they have called the U.S. Constitution a long time ago.
terrorists do not deserve rights, period. Line em up against a wall and shoot!
What is is that America stands for if not justice for all? That is one of the key components that makes our country great. Our Constitution is the greatest document ever written.
Justice is not solely for Americans, it is for all citizens of the world. Fairness applies to all people.
As Senator Obama pointed out, those individuals that were involved in the first attack on the World Trade Center were fairly tried, found guilty and appropriately incarcerated. The system works!
Why do we not afford the same treatment to those held at Guantanamo? If they are guilty, they will be jailed. If they are not guilty, then we should set them free.
Who does George Bush (and John McCain) think he is to repeatedly ignore our Constitution under the pretense of keeping us safer. Instead of preserving the values that our counrty was founded on, they are destroying them and doing incredible damage throughout the world.
"Barack Obama's belief that we should treat terrorists as nothing more than common criminals demonstrates a stunning and alarming misunderstanding of the threat we face from radical Islamic extremism."
Mr. Scheunemann's statement shows that the McSame campaign has not only an "alarming misunderstanding of the threat we face," but an alarming misunderstanding of Senator Obama's statement. Making the above statement shows that Mr. Scheunemann is either a liar or stupid. If he knows that what he's saying is untrue he's a liar. If he doesn't know what he's saying is untrue he's stupid. But then again, either of those are necesssary requirements for being a republical operative.
Terrorists should be hang upside down for as long as they can survive because this heart of mine doesn't feel an inch of sympathy seeing the reality of their hatred towards America on 9/11 and around the world and their deadly mission.They deserve the zero respect and a deadly pumishment they are wild pigs of the earth.
Bill Clinton and his administration treated Osama Bin Laden as a criminal and not a terrorist. The Clinton administration was more concerned about violating some imaginary international law than capturing him and allowed this terrorist to grow into 9/11. Unable to persuade the Saudis to accept Bin Laden, and lacking a case to indict him in U.S. courts, the Clinton administration finally gave up on the capture
McCain Rules...... Let's say it all together now Liberals....
P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T M-C-C-A-I-N !!!!
What can we expect from McCain a man who as a republican makes a carreer out of scaring people to death and making a profit from fear mongering. Now ---- 2008 is for change and let mature adults run the war against terrorism and not wannabe warriors and neocons.
McMoron and the Republican give terrorist way to much credit and don't do enough to stop them. I really am beinging to believe that the Republicans want more terroist attacks to scare the people into falling in line with them. They are affraid once a democrate gets into into the office they will clean the mess up. Funny in history it was the DEMOCRATES who brought the most security and properity to our country.
Once again the GOP cranks up the phony 'Only we can keep you safe campaign'. Bush announces he's going after Bin Laden and drags out some Gitmo detainees to put on trial. McCain who wants to win the Vietnam war in Iraq drags out Mr 911 the man responsible for the lack of communication that doomed hundreds of firefighters.
Ninety-five percent of Guantanamo detainees were not apprehended by US forces. They were brought to our military by people who were bribed, may have had a vendetta, or other reasons. Are these terrorists or just people we are 'holding'? They have no charges and never will be charged.
Terrorism is a problem. But do Americans have to start living there lives in terror? After hundreds of billions of dollars and the loss of 4100 soldiers I don't feel any safer than six years ago. Would someone tell us how many billions, trillions it will take to make us safe? Republicans and the military industrial complex seem to be content to keep it open ended.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
browse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com