Yglesias: Obama ready to hand "big win" to Cheney family on terror trial move

[Bluebear]

Big win for the Cheney family:

President Obama’s advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, be prosecuted in a military tribunal, administration officials said, a step that would reverse Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.’s plan to try him in civilian court in New York City.

I’m not going to attempt to defend this. I’ll merely note that it’s hard enough to have any kind of civil liberties in this country when the opposition party is pushing for them. When what you have is an opposition that’s pressuring incumbent officials to seize more power for themselves the incentive structure is nuts and the constitution is going to be shredded.

As recently as the 1990s, Congressional Republicans liked to stand up for civil liberties against some of the (tame, by post-9/11 standards) power-grabs by the Clinton-era Justice Department. But the dynamics of the Obama Era are toxic, especially because Democrats are so used to losing on national security that they can’t tell when they’re winning. It’s a depressing situation all around. And anyone in the White House who thinks the right-wing can’t just gin up some new “soft on terror” talking point is living in a dream world.

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/03/obama-prepping-ksm-cave-in.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+matthewyglesias+(Matthew+Yglesias)

[villager]

1. "The same toxic changes you never believed in"

Well, I guess "change" and "believe" are in that sentence...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Just one more capitulation --

O really is looking more and more like Clinton -- Bill did the same thing, cave consistantly when push came to shove, never taking a strong stand where he ws willing to lose. I can't tell if this is O himself or the same bad advice given by Rahm.

Whatever the case, I am finding it repulsive.

[Bluebear]

4. :nodding:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. I guess if he was tried in the open the real truth about 9/11 would come out

so the GOP are pushing all they can to stop it, especially Cheney. Holder should stick to his guns and after that go after Cheney.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. "Caving" is a Master's move in the Grand Chess Game.

And, one that has been Mastered by the Democrats.

[bullwinkle428]

6. The coming touchdown dance from the Cheney family is sure

to have me projectile vomiting for days on end...

[Bluebear]

7. indeedy