When has the U.S. deliberately targeted civilians? If you are talking about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then yes there are people who count that as a war crime. The firebombing of Dresden by the allies in WWII was without a doubt a war crime. However, the immutable fact of life is that a law only has validity if there is force behind it. Thats why Truman wasn’t in the dock at Nuremberg but Herman Goring was.

even if they were a signatory to the convention, they break the treaty vis a vis the United States when they directly target civilians.

So are you saying that the US and UK broke the treaties they signed by their direct targeting of civilians in their indiscriminate bombings (including nuking) of many cities and therefore deserve to be tortured? Why not?

And we get word today that one of the released prisoners has re-joined Al-Qeada in Yemen.

Blame the Bush administration for that since this happened on their watch. What does that have to do with Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo?

You can have all the time you want, but considering this whole debate is a question of whether the U.S. constitution and its protection apply to foreign enemy combatants, I think our precious time together would be moot.

Did you bother to read the post after that. I made it clear that it was a personal human feeling I have to the man who masterminded 9/11. I don’t think I should be able to be in a room with him. We are merely debating what the government should classify these people as. To my post on KSM, it’s called human emotion. You probably haven’t experienced it much.

Manju, the President never flubbed. First of all he was already President when Chief Justice Roberts, obviously laboring under the delusion that he was charged with turning a man or a Senator into a President, asked him, “Are you ready to take the oath, Senator?” And then, bear in mind Roberts had to administer the Presidential oath to a man who had just made a joke, while remembering that this same man had not approved his own appointment. That would have set him up for failure right away, especially when he was confronted midway with Obama’s famously pretty smile. Check it for yourself– Roberts was supposed to pause after “I, Barack Hussein Obama” for the President to say it, before plunging into “do solemnly swear”, so it was Roberts who tripped up, every step of the way, clearly having misunderestimated the delicate perils of his task sans teleprompter. Review events here!

Wipe your mouth or keyboard. You are better of pontificating about the constitution to Eric Holder who doesn’t really care for the 6th Amendment. Ironic eh ? http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~y2009m1d8-Eric-Holder-may-not-respect-the-Sixth-Amendment-right-to-counsel

Come on. Dont blaspheme Jack Bauer?. He is just doing what needs to be done. He is not happy about torture either.

What if we give Khalid Sheikh Mohammed a baseball bat as well. Would you still like your 10 minutes? I am presuming you will take the deal as your righteous Jack Bauer anger will surely carry you to victory. Plus God is on your side.