Military commissions, on the other hand, despite recent improvements, remain a second-class system of justice that fails to meet both domestic and international legal standards. They have never been used for a murder trial, much less cases as complex as the pending terrorism prosecutions of the 9/11 suspects. The commissions have been mired in legal challenges and controversy, and, since 9/11, have delivered only three convictions, two resulting in sentences of less than a year (plus time at Guantánamo, in one case).
It is somewhat stunning that this controversy continues, considering the legacy of the previous administration. Throwing suspects into secret detention without due process and, in many instances, torturing and abusing them not only deeply hurt our international reputation; it also has failed to gather useful intelligence and has created a situation where some of the evidence that actually was collected is unreliable and now can't be used for prosecutions in any forum because it is tainted by torture.
Americans should resist fearmongering and refuse to let ideology dictate our national security policies. We should strive to both keep the country safe and uphold American values. If we abandon those values, we've really lost what it is we're fighting for.
Read why safety and national security mandate military trials for terror suspects, by Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas.
- Become a political insider: Subscribe to U.S. News Weekly, our digital magazine.
- Check out our political cartoons.
- See our slideshow: 5 Ways New Media Are Changing Politics.
Reader Comments Read all comments (4)
jesus crist. of WY 9:00AM May 12, 2010
Luther of LA 11:01PM February 17, 2010
Ike Hana of OR 5:40PM February 17, 2010