I have some really mixed feelings about this as a Constitutionalist.
The Washington Times reports:
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (AP) — A U.S. military judge is considering broad security rules for the war crimes tribunal of five Guantanamo prisoners charged in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, including measures to prevent the accused from publicly revealing what happened to them in the CIA’s secret network of overseas prisons.
Prosecutors have asked the judge at a pretrial hearing starting Monday to approve what is known as a protective order that is intended to prevent the release of classified information during the eventual trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who has portrayed himself as the mastermind of the terror attacks, and four co-defendants.
Lawyers for the defendants say the rules, as proposed, will hobble their defense. The American Civil Liberties Union, which has filed a challenge to the protective order, says the restrictions will prevent the public from learning what happened to Mr. Mohammed and his co-defendants during several years of CIA confinement and interrogation.
The protective order requires the court to use a 40-second delay during court proceedings so that spectators, who watch behind soundproof glass, can be prevented from hearing — from officials, lawyers or the defendants themselves — the still-classified details of the CIA’s rendition and detention program.
“What we are challenging is the censorship of the defendant’s testimony based on their personal knowledge of the government’s torture and detention of them,” said Hina Shamsi, an ACLU attorney who will be arguing against the protective order during the pretrial hearing at the U.S. base in Cuba.
The protective order, which is also being challenged by a coalition of media organizations that includes The Associated Press, is overly broad because it would “classify the defendants own knowledge, thoughts and experience,” Ms. Shamsi said in an interview.
It is a long fine line between protecting our Republic and protecting empire, and the misdeeds of it. I believe that the above went very close to that line; and even possibly over it. Still, many lives were saved because of the actions of the CIA, of which I commend them for that. However, I dread to know what they had to do to get confessions. Again, I am glad we caught these turkeys; but the methods we used do sicken me a bit. Again, mixed feelings about all of it. Some things are just very complicated.
CP, A new look and feel, and direction ? Very nicely put together. ….just read the blog on Specter, sad day. Have you seen Dingell lately ? He looks terrible, but continues to serve.. ….Mike
Yeah, Just a name change, that’s all. “Thoughts and Rantings” was something that I pulled out of my rear end at like the last minute. I want to register a new domain, and I have an idea for one, but it costs 15 bucks to register one. At least where I have all mine registered at. Right now, I funds are tight and hits are down for me.
Yeah, I have seen dingell, another old goat that’s been in there too long. 😀
As for the direction; not especially, I want people to come here and feel welcomed, and not like I am going to bite their heads off or anything. I was going to use the name, “The Americanist” but someone was already using it. It is really I am. I might gripe and complain about the Democrats and such; but when it comes down to it, I am an American. I have always believed that neither of these parties are moral or political absolutes. Which is a really fancy way of saying that they all have their issues. It is just that right now; the Democrats are waaaaaaay too far to the left for me and most of the Country.
Anyway, thanks for dropping by! Good to see my Amateur Radio friends stop in here. 😀