Should the "crotch bomber" be treated as a criminal, or as an "enemy combatant"?

[MNDemNY]

Poll question: Should the "crotch bomber" be treated as a criminal, or as an "enemy combatant"?

[htuttle]

1. Legally speaking, there's no such thing as an 'enemy combatant'

He's either an 'enemy soldier', covered by one part of the Geneva Conventions, an 'enemy spy', also covered by the Geneva Conventions, or he's a civilian criminal, covered by both the Geneva Conventions and our criminal justice system.

There is no such legal definition as 'enemy combatant'. The only reason that Bush got away with using it is that nobody really challenged him on it, legally speaking.

[MNDemNY]

11. And what would stop this administration from doing the same, legally speaking.

[htuttle]

15. At this point, nothing.

[Clear Blue Sky]

2. Question to ponder...

He says there are others training for future attacks.

At what point is it OK to use whatever means are necessary to get more info and prevent these attacks? Or is better that our justice system remain pure even at the expense of the next bomb being successful and bringing down a plane?

No right answer but may provide some interesting discussion.

[Caliman73]

7. Perhaps another thread would be good.

So as not to distract from this topic. It would definitely make for some lively discussion.

[MNDemNY]

10. Right answer: NEVER.

[MadMaddie]

20. Never!

The answer is actually something that we had before the previous admin fucked it up.

True information coming from true reliable resources, such as the network that Valerie Plame had cultivated for years before she was outed as an operative by the * administration.

This guy probably has given up more information without being tortured. Have you ever read any of the historical notes from WWII? The Brits and Americans realized that they got more information without torturing their POWs.

Once that line has been crossed it is not an easy road back to sanity.
What did the torturing of the Guatanomo suspects gain the U.S?

Are we really to trust the previous administrations claims that they gained vast information from prisoners that they tortured for 7 years? It's a proven fact that many prisoners after continuous torture will create stories that will stop the torture.

Our justice system in it's purity has flaws but it is a system that works even with it's flaws. Once you start dismantling the laws because you feel there should be an exception where does it stop?

[El Supremo]

3. As a Jockey Shorts Jihadist!

[slackmaster]

4. Depends

:nuke:

[MNDemNY]

12. On?

[blogslut]

19. Whoosh!

;)

[pampango]

5. Criminal. An open trial may embarrass him even more (aside from the more important Constitutional

issues). :)

[Xenotime]

13. That's sad that we seek to "embarrass" him. When did we become "rethugs?"

[blondeatlast]

29. Embarrassing al Qaeda is more the idea--and it's very effective with patriarchal cultures,

as al Qaeda most assuredly is.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Decades ago, plane hijackers weren't treated as "sovereign enemies" but as criminals.

This status should extend to anyone intending to harm passengers no matter how they do it.

[timeforpeace]

8. No choice really, what with Gitmo being closed and all.

[Bobbieo]

9. I have a hunch our crotch bomber is singing like a canary right now.

[Caliman73]

14. I say suspected criminal would be the best term.

He is not a member of any organized military group which has declared war on the United States, and although the stupid idea of the "War on Terror" is still flouted, you cannot formally or legally declare war on a tactic, or idea, or substance. This guy claims membership in a loose knit ideologically driven organization which uses criminal tactics to try and instill a philosophy. By that measure, people from Operation Rescue who firebomb clinics should be enemy combatants.

[MNDemNY]

16. Yes, as is evidenced by my post, my concern is that I get the "best term"

}(

[Caliman73]

24. your concern is noted....?

I am not really concerned about what your concern was regarding the poll and message you wanted to put out. I just voted and explained my answer. I suspect my answer fits into what you want out there so I am not understanding the snark so I am concerned. :evilgrin:

[MNDemNY]

25. No "snark" intended. Just got a chuckle, that's all.

:7

[Caliman73]

26. Okay, I am snark impaired. It is hard to tell sometimes in print

:toast:

[hedgehog]

17. What if he were to be found criminally mentally ill?

[MNDemNY]

18. Any of the "8" care to fess up?

c'mon, stand up for your values. NJM?? I know your one!

[hayu_lol]

23. Somebody already covered this...

Hot Crotch is not, and never was any part of a standing National Military Force. He is nothing more than a thug albeit a privileged thug(family background).

That leaves him with the status of a mass-murderer type of criminal. Enough charges in that to keep him in prison until he is very old.

When these things happen however, and they will continue, perhaps the 'powers that be' will decide to cancel all visas from the perps home country. After a while, they would have no way to make the trip.

[clear eye]

21. There is no such thing as an "enemy combatant".

Made up Rumsfeld/Cheney category to deny people basic rights. If you instigate some kind of mass assault, you're either a soldier/para-military/agent of some gov't performing an act of war & should be treated as a POW, or you're a freelance murderer/maimer or assaulter, and are a criminal. There is no category of human being under U.S. or international law who doesn't have basic human rights. People who attempt suicide bombings in plain sight are easy to prosecute.

[MNDemNY]

22. But as you know, that is irrelevant.

[Maru Kitteh]

27. Do you really think it matters Eddie?

[stray cat]

28. Since he didn't succeed and we don't know his goals maybe disturbing the peace?

:sarcasm:

[TheKentuckian]

30. Criminal, there is no other option

[blondeatlast]

31. I've seen four DUers advocating that he not be given pain meds, just as Cheney advocated.

That accounts for half of the ill-informed responses so far.

[MNDemNY]

32. If you can, PM me with links.