Elect Gitmo Guy Expounds Legalistically

"I am not going to give a time certain because I think what we have to do is evaluate all those who are still being held in Gitmo. . . . We have to put in place appropriate plans to make sure they are tried, convicted and punished to the full extent of the law, and that's going to require, I think, a review of the existing cases, which I have not had the opportunity to do."

Obama, 10 November 2008

Huh? What does "time certain" mean? We have to evaluate. No kidding. We need to have "appropriate plans." Hmmm, deep. What plan did you have in mind? Oh yes, and slap them on the wrist with the law. Think that will work, eh? What arrogance, you need to personally review these cases and make a reasoned, legal argument. That, my friends, is hubris to the extreme. American law means nothing to our enemies, nor should it, since they are serving God. Man's law is chimera. Yet, the Americans persist in viewing terrorism as a law enforcement issue.

As noted in a perceptive essay:

"Liberal legalism has delegitimized tactics and brutalities that once were accepted, but this delegitimization has occurred only in context of fundamental security and dominance of Western powers."

Professor R. K. Betts, Political Science Quarterly

The U.S. tried the liberal legalistic approach during the Clinton regime and we were attacked consistently. Now that we have a new player on the field the same old tactic will not work again. But, so far, what are left with? The latest indication is that we will work with the same flawed tools to ensure more legal rights for people who seek to kill Americans based on their understanding of God's higher dictates. It will not work. It did not work before, it will not work again.