Foregone Conclusion

It is more dangerous that even a guilty person
should be punished without the form of law
than that he should escape
--Thomas Jefferson
___________

Yesterday the AP reported "U.S. May ask for Death for 9-11 Suspects," concluding with the following paragraph, which has since been scrubbed:

"Throughout the many challenges to the system, no suspect has actually been brought before a tribunal for trial. And it could be months before trials begin for the six Sept. 11 defendants. With the appeals process, it would likely be some time after any convictions before executions would be possible."

The new conclusion hints at the "chilling string of other terror plots last March" which Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confessed to in a possibly coerced statement.

There seems no doubt in anybody's mind that these defendants are going to be found guilty; the only question is, how soon? Why even conduct a trial?

If the Pentagon and the Department of Defense are now dispensing civilian justice, why not just out the Department of Justice under the DoD umbrella and do away with all civilian concepts of justice that were the old hallmark of the U.S. judicial system?

"Among those held at Guantanamo is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the attack six years ago in which hijacked planes were flown into buildings in New York and Washington. Five others are expected to be named in sworn charges."

What's the rush? It has only been six years and these bad boys have been imprisoned for five or more. Let us slow down a bit so the defense doesn't get whiplash.

"The decision to seek the death penalty also is likely to draw criticism from within the international community." Surely if guilty these people deserve a death sentence, but not from a secret, closed-door, phony kangaroo court.

If the death sentence is considered, then it should be before a real court that meets that standards of civilized nations. Which is of course stretching it, as many civilized nations refuse to accept the death penalty.

These fine points seem to escape American logic.