I love this post and of course I’ll be linking to it, but I wanted to make one small correction. You see Sarah Palin isn’t REALLY afraid of what KSM will say or do during the trial. What she is REALLY afraid is that a Democratic administration will do what a Republican administration didn’t. And that is show that our system of justice is stronger than any terrorist in some far off land living in a cage. And also that we will NOT show cowardice by bending to their will by not giving them a fair trial and thus becoming the caricature that they try to make out of our country. And finally that a Democratic administration will show more deference to our founding fathers than Bush or Cheney would have ever dreamed.
You see once KSM and his cohorts are dragged in front of a jury and are handed down the death penalty, then they lose the super villan with super powers status that Bush, Cheney and just about every Republican in Congress has given them for the last 8 years. And guess what, if there are no more boogey men then Republicans will have a hard time finding someone to fearmonger against when they are pimping their national security cred.
As with most things that have to do with Republican criticism of moves that the Obama administration makes, this has almost nothing to do with what they are actually saying and everything to do with what they see as their political futures. See also, health care, cap and trade, gay marriage…etc
How true is that??! Rethugs and their never-ending fearmongering tactics, it's the only way they know how to steal power and win over the ignorant segment of our population. Sad really.
Here's another great comment which reminds me of Saddam hiding in his rat hole, peeking out as he was found. It's so pathetic how these monsters are held up to be Satan himself in their evilness but are pions in the end. We shall see how KSM responds during the trial, and that's something we need to see, we wouldn't if rethugs had their choice of a military tribunal. comment:
I think keeping the face and bent personality of KSM out of the public eye, allowing him out of the shadows only as a caricature, is essential political theater for the national security state. That’s because, as in personal and family counseling, the monster in the living room keeps growing when it stays in the shadows. When it has a name, a place a date, a hurt, a harm, a fix; when it’s removed from the realm of the head on pillow at night and sees the light of day, it’s often very much smaller. It’s manageable and it can sometimes be cured.
Keeping KSM and those like him out of a public courtroom is essential for Mr. Cheney’s view of the world to win. It’s essential to keep the public in awe and fear, to keep it obligingly paying taxes without questioning to what use they are put. It allows Cheney and his successors to continue to build the national security state with no questions asked, no policies reviewed, no limits applied.
My guess is that KSM is no more frightening than the CEO of a tobacco company or an energy company, or a drug kingpin. Seen in the light of day, none of them are as mighty as the law. Keep them in a secret world, positions reverse and we live in fear, not hope.
Check out this post by Spencer Ackermann-firedoglake. He quotes Sarah Palin's stupid objections to the terrorists trial being held in NY, and also goes on to say this....
"What’s an actual insult to the victims of 9/11 is the idea that America is not strong enough to withstand the blatherings of a mass murderer. For me, the prospect of KSM grandstanding at his trial falls into I-wish-a-motherfucker-would territory. I want to hear how KSM builds a case against America, because everyone will hear how laughably conspiratorial and clownish it is. Think of what a cathartic moment it will be when America sees the face of the man considered to be UBL’s most efficient henchman and he delivers a pitiful harangue to a bank of cameras. No one will be emboldened to do anything but laugh. The only downside will be his inevitable discussion of how CIA operatives tortured him.
My hope for the KSM trial is that it does more than all this. It should forever shatter the pernicious myth that al-Qaeda is composed of supermen — supermen against whom America has no choice but to alter its character and most precious laws in order to confront.
Read the rest here:http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/11/14/whos-afraid-of-khalid-shaikh-mohammed/
So while reading the comments about this post I thought this one was excellent and says alot about our fraidy-cat rethugs:
sgwhiteinfla November 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am