The Real Threats We Face

Trib editorial here advocating easing the legal process for unlawful enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay. NY Times goes further, pushing for the closure of the prison, no surprises there. Ed Koch, former mayor of NYC, had this to say about the Times' irrational position, among other things:

The language "pretense of legality" is outrageous, considering that the U.S. Supreme Court in an earlier decision advised the Congress that it had the right to create military commissions to deal with "unlawful enemy combatants," those who don't wear uniforms on the battlefield and carry concealed weapons. "Lawful combatants (who wear uniforms and carry weapons openly) fall under the Geneva Conventions."

Pray tell, what is wrong with Congress and the President making that distinction when it comes to trials? Further, hasn't the military commission proved its fairness by the very fact that it dismissed the cases of the first two defendants brought before it, finding they were not "unlawful enemy combatants." Instead of assaulting the military tribunal as it did, shouldn't The Times have praised its fairness? Of course, but The Times is so blinded by its fury on the Iraq war and its hatred of President Bush that its editorial board can't think straight on these issues. The Times wants the Guantanamo Bay military prison closed. Isn't that senseless? Wouldn't a new prison for these alleged terrorists have to be built to hold them pending their trials?

And let's remember how vicious these inmates can be and that the release of some of them under PR pressure has caused harm in their home countries and could cause us harm. Also here. Remember the JFK plotters came from the Caribbean basin.

Keep Gitmo. The jihadists are at war with us. And as evidenced by the JFK terror plot and the Pew poll, we have homegrown terrorists and sympathizers who liaise with them and wish us harm. We will have enough difficulty trying American terrorists in our own courts, without making life easier for accused terrorists captured on the asymmetrical battlefield overseas, charged with killing our troops.

We face real threats, and the power of the NY Times' pen will offer scant protection when we are attacked again.

UPDATE: And as Mayor Koch points out, so far the Democrats have not voted to close Guantanamo Bay, perhaps Sen. Durbin does not wish Cook County to host such a prison, as he himself would bear more responsibility for their treatment, rather than spreading scurrilous rumors and impugning the integrity of our troops.