Two know nothing Republicans Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra appeared Sunday on Fox News Sunday and Face the Nation. Both are against the five terrorists involved in planning the attack on 9-11 being tried in civilian court in New York as the U.S. Attorney General announced recently.
Giuliani said the trial would increase the security threat to the city of New York and give Islamists a platform to propagate their ideology. Hoekstra said the trial could expose the people of New York to years of propaganda from the defendants.
New York city Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it is fitting that the 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site where so many New Yorkers were murdered. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said holding the trial in the city most devastated by the 2001 attack is appropriate, and the Police department is prepared to meet any security challenge. These two men have much creditibility on the subject matter. Giuliani and Hoekstra have zero.
There are a few things that are important to remember about the issue. It is just another example of republican tactics to oppose any thing coming out of the Obama administration, especially bringing those people to justice. The Bush administration had 7 years to do so and did nothing.
Fifteen federal judges in Washington are hearing other cases in court in complying with a Supreme Court ruling last year. The Obama administration is pursuing those detainees from Guantanamo through the court system to bring those to trial where the evidence warrants. Republicans are also opposed to that process.
It should be noted that not all detainees will be tried in civilian court, some will be tried by a military commission. The Justice Department will seek what ever forum deemed best. It is time for America to prosecute every detainee case it can so the world can see American justice at its best. In the mean time, the public will be exposed more and more to the Republican noise machine. It is just another way to show they really have nothing of substance to talk about.
