The Al-Qaeda Fourteen
Aired 9/10/06 The Al-Qaeda Fourteen 
While the media for the next day or two will be obsessed with various tributes to 9/11 the main thing looking toward the future is the enabling legislation for having military tribunals for the high profile members of Al-Qaeda recently relocated from the CIA's black sites. It was no mere coincidence that this announcement was made mere days before the anniversary of 9/11, and in front of the families of victims. The President wants his authorization pushed through while the nation is plenty angry and plenty scared.
So let me say that these trials will not be about striking a blow at Al-Qaeda. These 14 guys, whatever their bigwig terror credentials before, they are pretty much useless as terrorists any more. They have, in spy parlance, been compromised. We know all about them and no active terror operative would go anywhere near them as a result.
That doesn't mean that these trials are unimportant. They are important for two reasons.
The first is to give us a sense of justice for the crimes which they committed. That is important, but for us to feel that justice has been served it needs to be a trial that we can feel was just. Secret evidence and coerced confessions is likely to make us feel more uneasy than justified.
The second is that these trials will get worldwide attention. If trying Khalid Mohammed doesn't get more attention than O.J. Simson something is wrong with reality. This is our chance to demonstrate American judisprudence to the world. But if it looks like something that they associate with their own repressive regiemes (again that secret evidence and coerced testimony) of course people will see and believe that there really isn't any difference between us and the other autocratic countries.
While the media for the next day or two will be obsessed with various tributes to 9/11 the main thing looking toward the future is the enabling legislation for having military tribunals for the high profile members of Al-Qaeda recently relocated from the CIA's black sites. It was no mere coincidence that this announcement was made mere days before the anniversary of 9/11, and in front of the families of victims. The President wants his authorization pushed through while the nation is plenty angry and plenty scared.
So let me say that these trials will not be about striking a blow at Al-Qaeda. These 14 guys, whatever their bigwig terror credentials before, they are pretty much useless as terrorists any more. They have, in spy parlance, been compromised. We know all about them and no active terror operative would go anywhere near them as a result.
That doesn't mean that these trials are unimportant. They are important for two reasons.
The first is to give us a sense of justice for the crimes which they committed. That is important, but for us to feel that justice has been served it needs to be a trial that we can feel was just. Secret evidence and coerced confessions is likely to make us feel more uneasy than justified.
The second is that these trials will get worldwide attention. If trying Khalid Mohammed doesn't get more attention than O.J. Simson something is wrong with reality. This is our chance to demonstrate American judisprudence to the world. But if it looks like something that they associate with their own repressive regiemes (again that secret evidence and coerced testimony) of course people will see and believe that there really isn't any difference between us and the other autocratic countries.
posted by Daniel Raymond at 7:36 PM
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