Backtalk: It’s time to scrap military war crimes trials

[unhappycamper]

It’s time to scrap military war crimes trials
By Robert F. Dorr

Some of the military’s very best lawyers are uncomfortable with the way our nation is handling war crimes trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Many Americans dislike lawyers. Some readers may cringe at my using the words “best” and “lawyers” in a sentence. Those readers probably should stop here.

The truth is, the Pentagon’s judge advocates do a fine job. But many are disgruntled.

Military lawyers are members of the military, first and foremost. They accept policy made by elected civilian leaders, because that is how America works. Given an order, a military member must salute and obey, so long as the order is lawful, even if it is controversial or distasteful.

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Even though Congress unwisely bestowed a degree of legitimacy on the military commissions — even as federal appeals courts have challenged them — these war crimes trials are now beginning only after many years of mistakes in the capture, detention and interrogation of prisoners. It is too late, after all these years, for a finding of “guilty” to have credibility even with many of our own military lawyers, let alone with the public and the rest of the world. Very simply, the process is tainted beyond repair.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/community/opinion/airforce_backtalk_trials_080408/