Seventeen Members Of The United States Navy Died On October 12, 2000. A Navy Vessel Was Visiting A Port Of Call In Yemen, When al-Qaida Suicide Bombers Steered An Explosive Laden Boat Into The Hull Of The U.S.S. Cole. A U.S. Naval Vessel Regardless Of The Location Is Sovereign U.S. Territory.President William J. Clinton took very little action in retaliation for the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. Temporary repairs were made to the U.S.S. Cole to stop the flooding. The ship was then loaded aboard a large salvage vessel and returned to the United States. Following an extensive "yard period" the U.S.S. Cole once again joined fleet and returned to the same operating zone. During the term of President George Bush, a terrorist from Saudi Arabia by the name of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was captured. This terrorist was charged with "organizing and directing" the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. He is currently being held in custody of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Forty eight hours or less after assuming the Presidency of the United States, President Obama issued an Executive Order to shut down the terrorist prison at Guantanamo Bay within the year. This Executive Order also froze all Guantanamo detainee legal cases. Over the next three months the President Obama administration will decide where or whether to prosecute the suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay.
Today, February 5, 2009 Susan J. Crawford, the Pentagon's senior judge overseeing the terror trials at Guantanamo Bay dropped charges against the suspect in the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole, upholding the order of the Commander In Chief. Two military judges granted President Obama orders. But a third judge, Army Colonel James Pohl, defied the President's order by scheduling a February 9th arraignment for the terrorist al-Nashiri at Guantanamo. I salute Colonel Pohl for his decision, in making this decision he has more than likely ended his military career. Susan Crawford's decision and following the orders of President Obama will halt all terrorist proceedings at the U.S. Navy base in Cuba.
Retired Navy Commander, Kirk Lippold, Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Cole when it was bombed commented, "We have already waited eight years. Justice delayed is justice denied. We must allow the military commission process to go forward."
One has to keep in mind that if theses terrorist's are transferred to a prison in the United States, they are eligible for all rights and protections under the law that we enjoy as citizens of the United States. They are terrorist's, they have no state! In Guantanamo Bay, they were facing a Military Tribunal form of court. This system is very similar to the court proceedings that the allied forces conducted in Japan and Germany following World War II.
Any terrorist associated with al-Qaida does not deserve the protection of the United States Constitution, an instrument that has been protected since it's inception by citizens and the military services of our nation. Several million men and women have given their life to protect these constitutional rights. I am sure they did not preserve these rights for the enemy that has vowed to destroy our nation.
There are those that feel that these terrorists are also afforded the opportunity of protection under the Geneva Convention. I carried a Geneva Convention card in my wallet for over twenty years. The Geneva Convention reportedly applies only to those uniformed members of a military service of a recognized state or country. All countries do not recognize or choose to ignore the Geneva Convention, Senator John McCain is a living example of that statement. al-Qaida is a terrorist organization, they have no country, no state, un-uniformed, and no rights under the Geneva Convention or the U.S. Constitution.
Today, President Obama will meet with the families of the U.S.S. Cole and Commander Lippold. Let him look into the eyes of these family members and the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Cole. Let him tell them that the rights of Abd a-Rahim al-Nashiri are as important as their loved ones. As Commander In Chief, let him tell those on our front lines of security that the lives of their comrades are not as important as granting foreign terrorists the same rights of a United States citizen. While he is talking with this family group, which will also include representatives of the families of 9/11 victims, he may want to comment on when he decided that the "War on Terrorism" was concluded. As Commander In Chief, he has made the decision not to use this phrase. Being "politically correct" and creating a new image of the United States in the Middle East is commendable, however, there is a large terrorist group out there wanting to kill any American that they can, whether it be in the Middle East or the United States.
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