Retreat: White House plays jihadi musical chairs
Photo credit: Urban Infidel.
President Obama’s rhetoric meets reality, again.
After pushing hard to try Gitmo detainees in New York City, the White House has now ordered the Justice Department to try and find other venues. They are still insisting on shipping suspected jihadis to federal courts on U.S. soil.
It’s going to be a long, pointless game of jihadi musical chairs:
The White House ordered the Justice Department to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan.
The White House took the action hours after Mayor Bloomberg called Attorney General Eric Holder to say he would “prefer that they did it elsewhere.”
“It would be an inconvenience at the least, and probably that’s too mild a word for people that live in the neighborhood and businesses in the neighborhood,” Bloomberg told reporters.
“There are places that would be less expensive for the taxpayers and less disruptive for New York City.”
State leaders have railed against a plan to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in Manhattan federal court since Holder proposed it last month.
The order to consider new venues does not change the White House’s position that Mohammed should be tried in civilian court.
“President Obama is still committed to trying Mohammed and four other terrorist detainees in federal court,” spokesman Bill Burton said Thursday.
As I said in November in a post on coming jihadi show trials:
If this White House thought Tea Party activists were an “angry mob,” wait until they see the backlash from 9/11 family members and their supporters nationwide. We’re not going to sit down and shut up about the reckless, security-undermining Obama 9/10 agenda and conflict-of-interest-ridden AG Eric Holder.
Note well:
“They’re in a tizzy at Justice over Bloomberg,” a federal law enforcement official said. “It’s like a half-baked souffle – the plan is collapsing.”
Meanwhile, a source told The News that Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly was the driving force behind the push by Manhattan business leaders to change the mayor’s mind on the trial.
Kelly made an “extremely powerful” speech to a roomful of 150 prominent business leaders about how disruptive and costly the trial would be for lower Manhattan at an annual police charity event on Jan. 13, the source said.
“What turned this around was when Ray made a presentation to the Police Foundation,” the source said. “Everyone went from thinking, ‘Justice will be served’ to thinking ‘We are screwed.’”
***
More on the rising political opposition to civilian show trials on both sides of the aisle from Allahpundit.
And more on the search for new jihadi musical chairs from the NYT:
Mr. Burton said the president agreed with Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. that civilian trials were the right choice. “Currently our federal jails hold hundreds of convicted terrorists, and the president’s opinion has not changed on that,” he said.
Finding a site for a trial rejected by New York City could prove a challenge. Other Southern District locations appeared to pose problems. Some officials mentioned the Eastern District of Virginia, where terror trials have been held, or the unused Illinois prison where the administration has proposed to move detainees from Guantánamo.
A Justice Department spokesman, Dean Boyd, said Thursday night that there had been no decision to shift the trial from Manhattan. He said department officials were confident that the Southern District, where the department’s most experienced terrorism prosecutors work, could handle the case “while minimizing disruptions to the community to the greatest extent possible consistent with security needs.”
City officials have estimated security and logistical costs could total more than $200 million per year for a trial that could last several years, and some politicians have complained that a trial could make the city an even more attractive target for Al Qaeda.
Mr. Bloomberg, who in November had strongly backed Mr. Holder’s decision to bring the Sept. 11 defendants to the city they were accused of attacking, surprised administration officials on Wednesday by saying he had changed his mind. On Thursday, he elaborated, not closing the door to a Manhattan trial but expressing strong preference for another location.
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Trackbacks
- White House orders Justice Department to look for other places to hold Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 9/11 terrorist trial | Fire Andrea Mitchell!
- Gitmo Terrorist Trials: White House Begins Retreat! « Gathering of Eagles: NY
- Michelle Malkin » Cirque du Jihad: Coming to a federal court near you?
- KSM terrorist trail may be moved out of New York City | Radio Vice Online
- The Snooper Report
- Al Qaeda Watch: KSM Trial: Voter Majority Forces President to give up NYC as trial location; Voter Majority, the only true power in America « VotingFemale
- Osama bin Laden: Kill America with Global WARMER ambush; Is Osama to join Obama as a Socialist Nobel Peace Prize Winner? « VotingFemale
- “And So We Drift.. with only hope and change aboard.”: Obama meets STAR TREK « Temple of Mut
- Obama kills Aries Rocket to instead pay Russia for NASA orbit access; Russia unveils 5th Gen T-50 Stealth Fighter; Who’s side is Obama on? « VotingFemale
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Categories: Ally McBeal approach,Eric Holder,Gitmo,Islam
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I posted earlier on another thread that they should change the trial to Chicago as consolation prize for losing the Olympics but after thinking about it, why not have it on the floor of Congress?
Wow first! It’s been a while.
Another mistake by Obama. But he won’t recognize it.
The civilian trials aren’t a mistake from Obama’s point of view.
Getting KSM under oath in open court testifying about waterboarding, making all the evidence inadmissable that followed under the “fruit of the poisoned tree” doctrine, and provide evidence to World Court prosecutors to indict Bush and Cheney, no, not a mistake at all if you are an American hating Marxist POS like Obama and Holder.
Chicago
Boston
Harrisburg
Hartford
San Francisco
Las Vegas
All come to mind.
Enjoy Dick, Barney, Jack, Chris, Nan, and Harry. Let’s see how enthusiastic you are when its in your town.
Excellent idea, PP. Put Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Bawney Fwank on the jury. Then it’ll truly be a “jury of his peers.”
As someone who works in NYC, this would shutdown downtown. It would put entire neighborhoods out of business. People would avoid favorite restaurants just because of the hassle.
Obamium: densest substance known to man. Reality can never penetrate it deeply enough to effect any useful change in behavior. Substance causes an irresistable attraction to precipices.
Maybe but just think of what they would have to go through every day just to get to work. Maybe there is a court across the street from the White House.
I normally like to quote a source when I find one, but I don’t know where I got it. Anyway this is too good to pass up with these morons:
*The Heaviest Element Known to Science*
Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.
The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant
neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving
it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are
surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be
detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into
contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would
normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to
complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years. It does not decay,
but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the
assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since
each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming
isodopes.
This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe
that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical
concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.
When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.
I would recommend Las Vegas as the place. Since they’re going to be “circus show trials”, they should fit right in. Ticket sales should be good, and people can bet, right there, on the outcomes.
Anyone here heard that THE ONE is stiffing the $$$ for 9/11 health follow-ups?
That seems tooo brain-dead…
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/28/2010-01-28_team_obama_to_double_budget_for_treating_911_responders_in_an_amazing_sameday_ut.html
Well, that settles that…
Yes. They were that brain-dead…
but somebody handed them the cerebral defibrillator X2010.
Amazing…
This Obama character is REALLY asking for it. Go ahead Barry, grab your ankles pal.
The best place to ship Jihadis might be Siberia. Send Holder to GITMO.
This is just more evidence that our beloved Country is being run by a bunch of irresponsible, certifiable MORONS! Obama, Pelosi, Reid et al; history will remember them with utter distain.
By this time in 2013, GITMO will need a new section called The Executive Block.
Obama insists on a trial in civilian courts and then says
Add to the growing list of ‘issues’ we have with Obama – he’s a stupid, rotten lawyer as well.
I would like to see a kangaroo court. You know, the kind where you have two lines of strong men with ax handles. Then, you run the perps through.
Medals to best colorful quote. Like, welcome to America, or who’s your allah!
The jihadis learned what it would take to bring down the World Trade Center from the trial testimony of the 1993 attempt.
This is not a criminal act.
It is war.
Las Vegas would be good. Just feed them to Sigfred and Roy’s tigers.
Sell tickets. Liberals love snuff theater.
How Ironic; Sen. Feinstein called for a change of venue to a more remote place that would not pose as much of a threat to the public, nor cost as much.
Hmmm…where would that be.
Why, a military base would be a remote, safe and perfect venue for the trials.
Golly Sgt. Carter…just like Gitmo!
___‹^›__‹(•¿•)›__‹^›___
KILROYSHERE
If I didn’t have family in the area, my vote would be right downtown in DC. If it’s good enough for NYC, surely it’s fine for downtown DC? Preferably as close to the WH and House/Senate chambers. All sitting Congresscriminals would be required to be in town personally for the duration.
Guantanamo is the perfect detention facility. The only escape is to Cuba.
Some of these detainees will need to be detained indefinitely since we won’t kill them. They will kill us if we release them. Many already released have returned to the jihad.
Some of the detainees are actually suing in Federal Court to stay in Gitmo. The accomodations and weather suit them better than where they are going to be shipped to in IL.
Do we still have the will to survive as a nation?
I was too young and knew nothing of politics to understand what it was like with Carter as President. I only know of his awfulness after he left office. Obama is worse, I’m sure. 3 more years of this catastrophe.
I’d support snarky comments of impeachment, like Ye Olde “Gore in ’94!”, but then we’d get Biden! After him, Pelosi!
I want to wake up from this nightmare.
I think a careful investigation would reveal Gitmo as the perfect place for the trial and execution.
With no law license, Barry dropped it years ago right before an investigation was about to reveal some crooked crap. Michelle drooped her’s too, also many years ago.
I heard Joe Biden referred to as “Obama’s Life Insurance Policy.”
ECS
What they need is someplace isolated, not near a big city, hard to escape, uh oh yeah Gitmo’s out…
Sorry Kilroy – hadn’t read your post!
Not just 9/10 mentality. This is Pre Cole, pre, well its just stupid. Keep em in Gitmo.
Let’s remember that with this administration, there is retreat but no surrender, to quote the famous song. Holder was part of the Covington and Burling crew that gave pro bono advice to terrorists. He is an ideologue and he will push for a civilian trial in New York City. Yes, there will be tactical retreats but never a surrender from the left wing Obama-Holder Reverend Wright John Kerry world view that America largely is guilty of accusations made by Islamic groups. Obama gave his infamous Cairo speech in which he apologized for American policy toward Arab countries. Obama and Holder know that a civilian trial will not result in the death penalty in NYC and that is why they chose New York. Holder and Obama want a left wing activist federal judge who will put the Bush administration on trial. There are plenty of those judges on the federal bench in New York. On the federal bench in New York, Sotomayer was actually a conservative.
One of the long abandoned, or nearly abandoned military facilities on one of the Aleutian Islands comes to mind. As a bonus, neither the defense or prosecution will be anxious to drag out the proceedings and be forced to stay there any longer than necessary. Some are complete with family style housing units. Most were given to the local Native Corporation. Adak is the first one I thought of. I do not think the Native Corporation would mind at all renting the property back to the government for as long as it is needed. Security problems would be virtually non-existant. But the biggest plus is as I stated earlier, the discomfort for the lawyers. Oh, and lets not forget how the MSM would react to having to be there.
My son argues that the jury pool would be limited for the Aleutians. Maybe, but easy solution. Do the jury selection phase in San Francisco, jury selection done, everyone heads to Adak for the trial.
on the contrary he does…he is just continuing on his way to destroying America from within….
Do any of Obama’s merry band of dolts have any idea what they are doing?
Not under this president. He holds the cards, and stupid voters are just as culpable.
Just one more revelation to pile on top of the mountain of crap in this guy’s closet. Add the Alito moment. Suppose SCOTUS will finally take up the qualification case now, or do we have to crash and burn?
Move these trials to Berkeley, it is the perfect venue to showcase that nutbar city as well as have the perfect stage.
May I dare say they know EXACTLY what they are doing? They may not be clever enough about it; they are not getting away with it but they know EXACTLY what they are doing-Sal Alinsky and Frank Marshall Davis have done their job well. Perhaps Obama is just not as smart as those two traitors.
Incompetence is not the problem-treason is.
Wait a minute. Tigers have higher standards and won’t eat rotten meat. But they wouldn’t mind having a live toy…for as long as they could stay alive.
Clarifying: as long as the toy can stay alive.
Agreed. Though a case can certainly be made for Obama’s incompetence in leadership, he is definitely not ignorant. He is very intelligent, but blinded by a deeply warped ideaology driven by a monumental ego. He fully believes “The One” dogma, that he is divinely appointed to bring hopeydopey change and radical transformation.
He is already spiralling in toward terra firma, but how much damage will be done before this cretin is dethroned?
Excellent follow-up!
Hilarious!
If I were to ever attempt to guess your true identity, that line alone would tell me you’re definitely not Joe Biden. Crazy Uncle Joe would have claimed it for his own.
and on if there’ll be a terrorist attack and how many will be killed or wounded. You’d probably even be able to bet on whether or not you personally will be a casualty (attendance required).
I like Glenn Beck’s idea: they should have it right at the White House.
Very good sobering points.
James Greenidge
Queens NY
What I found interesting in Di Fi’s statement was “the dynamic changed” after the “Fruit of Kaboom” underwear bomber’s attack failed.
What we have learned from this is that the expertise of the people responsible for protecting America and America’s citizens are as smart as your state’s Department of Transportation.
You know the drill. People complain and complain and complain that an intersection is dangerous and a traffic light should be installed. Does the DOT listen or act?
Not until someone dies there.
That is how forward thinking these people are. Let us pray.
Is eric holder barry’s secret reach around friend or something? this clown keeps taking the laws of this nation into his hands and shreading them to fit his concept of justice, and barry keeps allowing it. it’s hard to imagine how big sis, eric the red, and turbo tax timmy keep their jobs, but in todays corporate and political world, crap does have a way of floating to the top.
Let’s not get too distracted and forget the follow through on who authorized the panty bomber’s mirandizing, etc.
I wonder if this idiotic, America-endangering episode does not have the potential to turn into a NIMBY-on-steroids squabble.
The anti-American socialists/fascists will simply decide to push hard for having an in-America trial venue where they can crap on the locals at the least political fallout/cost…in other words, a place where people are too busy, productive, tax-paying, sane and normal to have voted for the socialists/fascists in the first place.
They are two Marxist/Leninist “peas from the same pod”. “Birds of the feather flock together”.
Build a prison/trial complex out on Lake Michigan, off of Chicago. That would be remote enough.
Heh, and cold.
2 other places could be be considered. We could buy Pitcairn Island; that’s remote enough. Or, we could reopen Devil’s Island again.
The whole “Let’s-try-them-on-US-soil” notion is a joke from the word Go, and even “A Nation of Cowards”(TM) Holder and “I’m a Constitutional Scholar!” Hope-a-Dope himself know it. That’s why they’ve already said that in the event a jury won’t convict, the terrorists won’t be released.
So with that in mind, I recommend for venue Portland, Oregon: you can’t find a jury there that would convict, so we can see what fall-back plan, if any, that Holder and Hope-a-Dope have in mind.
Our country is being run by incompetent and unqualified entitlement babies. What a national embarrassment for the country and the American people. Do an election recall on the whole miserable crew.
Light years beyond stupid. They make the Three Stooges look positively omnicient.
Not in Texas
Bring them to my hometown of Philly. We’re chock full of Obama voters and I’d like to see them try to support this lunacy.
I haven’t read all of the above responses, so apologies if I’m duplicating here.
But has anyone suggested maybe anti-American, anti-US Military Berzerkley? No problem finding a jury of his “peers” from that rathole.
Not guilty because it was justifiable, and immediately return an indictment against Bush and Cheney. Anything else just wouldn’t be Berkeley.
Got to love that Brainiac mayor of Newberg! Host the terrorists, right? Be a boon to Newburg, right? Just like Newburg did after the $$ carrot HUD offered Newburg for shipping in half of New York City’s ghettos to take the steam off the city’s racial pressure in the 1960s and created some of the worst racial strife and poverty pools in all New York State in what was once a picture postcard area where you didn’t have to lock your back door nights. One nice rep of the area, Tawana Brawley. Small wonder the little town has a new state of art $22 million courthouse! With mayors like this, who needs a fifth column?
James Greenidge
Queens New York
Methinks leatherneck has a case of the mixed-metaphors. The sceanrio he described is actually more like “running the gauntlet” rather than a kangaroo court. A kangaroo court is kind of a sham trial where justice takes “leaps” in the name of expediency. Although in this case, both are interesting to think about.