Martyrdom? Not So Fast

June 7th, 2008 by Fat Charlie the Archangel @ 10:24 pm| Posted in 2008 Race, Bush Dead-Enders, Cap'n Mac, Gitmo |

[Above: Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, then and now]

Thanks to Al the Spook for rooting out and directing everybody to a post on another blog, detailing the unprecedented miscarriage of justice that the Bushites tried to perpetrate on Thursday down in Guantanamo.

The five so-called “high value detainees,” including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, were arraigned before a military commission. They are charged with over 2,900 counts of murder-one for each of the victims of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks-and face the death penalty.

Ok, we can all stipulate that the military commission system that is currently in place is a farce. And it should come as no surprise to anyone that Muhammad would reject his military lawyers and seek to represent himself. The game he is playing is quite obvious: he wants to be a martyr, and he’s practically begging us to off him.

The particular outrage in Thursday’s proceedings was that all five defendants were in the same courtroom at the same time, allowing Muhammad to communicate with them, assert a leadership role, and bully all of them into taking a consistent stand. Which, one suspects, is exactly what the Bushites were hoping for. Their sick political calculus seems to tell them that ridiculous show trials and quick executions will be good for John McCain. I’d like to think the American people are smarter than that, but who the hell knows at this point.

The good news, to the extent there is any here, is twofold.

First, the military defense lawyers, a group of whom all Americans should be intensely proud for their dedicated service (at extreme risk to their careers) to the cause of justice, aren’t taking this lying down. There will be an investigation, and if there is a way to overturn this outrage, I am certain they will fully live up to their ethical obligation to zealously represent their clients.

Second, we are still waiting for the Supreme Court to issue opinions in the Boumediene and al-Masri cases. If they somehow find a way to do the right thing, this whole sick circus could get shut down, and hopefully Pelosi and Reid will find a way to keep any legislation that would resuscitate it from getting through this year.

  1. 41 Responses to “Martyrdom? Not So Fast”

  2. By TRex on Jun 7, 2008 10:28 pm |

    John Amaechi is sooooo much more fun to look at than Khalid Sheikh Mohammaed.

  3. By Fat Charlie the Archangel on Jun 7, 2008 10:31 pm |

    TRex said

    John Amaechi is sooooo much more fun to look at than Khalid Sheikh Mohammaed.

    Ya think???

  4. By Laura on Jun 7, 2008 10:37 pm |

    Glad to know there’s an Angel working on this. thanks, Charlie.

    I’m with you, T. But then, I think folks who work for justice are SOOOO sexy looking! ; )

  5. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 10:40 pm |

    FC: thanks. but as always, the real hero is emptywheel and bmaz. i’m just the conduit.

  6. By Fat Charlie the Archangel on Jun 7, 2008 10:43 pm |

    OK, since the boss is here I’m gonna run out and grab a quick, late dinner. See you guys in a while.

  7. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 10:45 pm |

    okay i updated my ravings post with FC’s info. I’ll keep on the story until we get a resolution. thanks guys!

  8. By Laura on Jun 7, 2008 10:56 pm |

    Whoops, I epu’d myself. Had too many windows open:

    Jonathan Landay’s second response:

    “Re Guantanamo: stay tuned.

    J”

    (Let’s keep our fingers crossed.)

  9. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 11:02 pm |

    never mind. old data.

  10. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 11:14 pm |

    This is good tho.

  11. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 11:15 pm |

    and this. (warning: PDF Link)

  12. By e on Jun 7, 2008 11:17 pm |

    OT, but look…..a kitty video!! I, the catless asthmatic, found a kitty video!!

    http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=8156890

  13. By al the spook on Jun 7, 2008 11:19 pm |

    knew you’d come around, e! :)

  14. By Laura on Jun 7, 2008 11:19 pm |

    From John Walcott of McClatchey:

    Thanks for writing.
    Fear not, and stay tuned. Next Sunday, June 15, McClatchy will begin publishing the most extensive investigation to date of the treatment of detainees, not only at Guantanamo but also at Bagram and Kandahar in Afghanistan. Reporters Tom Lasseter and Matt Schofield tracked down and interviewed 66 former detainees-more than any other organization, media or NGO, we think- in 11 countries on three continents.
    They also interviewed former prison guards, interrogators, translators, Pentagon and administration officials, defense lawyers and Afghan intelligence and security officials to paint the most complete picture we could of who U.S. picked up, how and why, what happened to “suspected enemy combatants” and who’s responsible.
    The package was overseen by the McClatchy Washington Bureau’s Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign editor, Roy Gutman, the editor of “Crimes of War” and the author of a new book on U.S. policy toward Afghanistan before 9/11. It includes five main stories, a video, photos, numerous sidebars, the stories of all 66 former detainees and an online database.
    If you don’t live in an area served by one of our papers, or even if you do, you can find the whole package at http://www.mcclatchydc.com starting on Sunday, June 15 and running for five days.
    Please pass the word, and thanks again for writing.

    I see small jet fighters approaching the Death Star. WoOT!

  15. By madmommy on Jun 7, 2008 11:22 pm |

    Really, Charlie, you’re hoping the Supreme Court is going to do the right thing? Being the betting man you are, I’m hoping you haven’t put little Charlie’s college fund on the line with that hope. I certainly hope I’m wrong, but I’ve not got much faith in this Court.

    I am impressed with the integrity of the military defense lawyers, who are truly sacrificing their careers to do what is right and ethical. Lord knows that there’s not a whole lot of ethical to go around in this administration.

  16. By DrDick on Jun 7, 2008 11:38 pm |

    madmommy said

    Really, Charlie, you’re hoping the Supreme Court is going to do the right thing? Being the betting man you are, I’m hoping you haven’t put little Charlie’s college fund on the line with that hope. I certainly hope I’m wrong, but I’ve not got much faith in this Court.

    True. When you have 4 blatantly political justices who have no respect for precedent or the the rule of law and little or no knowledge of American political history (the heart of their purported “originalism”) the results are bound to get ugly.

  17. By Sharonlee on Jun 7, 2008 11:45 pm |

    You might want to check out this article written by Charles Swift, who was drummed out of the Navy because of his defense of Hamdan. It was written in February but deals with the timing and reasoning of the current trials.

    http://www.slate.com/id/2184476/

    The good news: Swift is now dedicated to work with the humanitarian human rights program at Emory Law School. (and he is still defending Hamdan as a civilian lawyer)

  18. By Fat Charlie the Archangel on Jun 8, 2008 12:52 am |

    OK, I’m gonna call it a night. More pinch-hitting tomorrow. Hope to see you then.

  19. By Lea (no uh) on Jun 8, 2008 12:56 am |

    Can we at least have John Amaechi’s picture back up? Pretty please?

  20. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:10 am |

    Fat Charlie the Archangel said

    OK, I’m gonna call it a night. More pinch-hitting tomorrow. Hope to see you then.

    one small point, FC. Betsy said by chat earlier tonight that you have to clean up the place before you leave or she’s keeping your cell phone. just trying to help! :)

  21. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:20 am |

    Evening all.

    John Amaechi

  22. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:21 am |

    hey, betsy is back! why the piccher? okay, ndfg ’splained it to me. never mind!

  23. By newdealfarmgrrrlll on Jun 8, 2008 1:22 am |

    al the spook said

    hey, betsy is back! why the piccher?

    *rolls eyes*

  24. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:24 am |

    Hi Al. Hi NDFG.

  25. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:25 am |

    Lea (no uh) said

    Can we at least have John Amaechi’s picture back up? Pretty please?

    Here ya go.

  26. By Lea (no uh) on Jun 8, 2008 1:25 am |

    aaaaahhhhh…thanks Betsy. Much better!

  27. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:30 am |

    Betsy said

    Hi Al. Hi NDFG.

    hi betsy! we’re packing crud at the moment. ghod my dad had a lot of stuff.

  28. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:31 am |

    Lea (no uh) said

    aaaaahhhhh…thanks Betsy. Much better!

    Which one do you like better?

  29. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:32 am |

    The only wedding pic that the bride and groom will let me post online without specific approval:

  30. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:49 am |

    okay who broke the blog?

  31. By Betsy on Jun 8, 2008 1:52 am |

    al the spook said

    okay who broke the blog?

    *** innocently looks elsewhere ***

    bedtime.

    night all

  32. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:53 am |

    Betsy said

    al the spook said

    okay who broke the blog?

    *** innocently looks elsewhere ***

    bedtime.

    night all

    nite betsy. pain free sleep wishes.

  33. By newdealfarmgrrrlll on Jun 8, 2008 1:55 am |

    broke the blog? *looks around* Spook, what was that flavored creamer you were putting in your coffee?

  34. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 1:56 am |

    lsd-vanilla, why do you ask?

  35. By Laura on Jun 8, 2008 2:02 am |

    Ah, good. We’re back. So…good news, don’t you think (re: walcott).

  36. By al the spook on Jun 8, 2008 2:03 am |

    Laura said

    Ah, good. We’re back. So…good news, don’t you think (re: walcott).

    can hardly wait.

  37. By Laura on Jun 8, 2008 2:06 am |

    I admit to some gleeful hand-rubbing tonight, while telling the hubby all about it. Fresh wind brewing.

  38. By TRex on Jun 8, 2008 2:52 am |

    Fresh thread.

    Bad news.

    http://www.iamtrex.com/?p=1047

  39. By newdealfarmgrrrlll on Jun 8, 2008 2:53 am |

    laura, your prompt action re letters and response from walcott certainly had me grinning gleefully while toiling at the cleaning project from heck.

  40. By e on Jun 8, 2008 2:56 am |

    This concludes this test of the emergency op ed system.

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