Military Commissions

Justice on Trial

Andrea Prasow | Posted 05.09.2012

Read More: Guantanamo Bay, Torture, Military Commissions, 9/11 Trials, Military Tribunals, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Trial, Guantanamo Detainees, Politics News
Andrea Prasow

The U.S. cannot un-torture Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. It cannot redo the detention of these men in a way that is humane and just. There is, however, the chance to ensure that the court in which they are judged is not a further perversion of the values Americans claim to hold dear.

Read Post

Even Terrorists Deserve to Be Sentenced

Jonathan Hafetz | Posted 05.03.2012

Read More: Criminal Law, Constitution, Terrorism, Military Commissions, Guantanamo, September 11, Guantanamo Detainees, Guantanamo Bay, 9/11, Politics News
Jonathan Hafetz

Most of the 169 remaining Guantanamo detainees will never be charged in court. They will thus never be given what those accused of the most serious terrorist offenses receive: the opportunity to be tried and sentenced if found guilty.

Read Post

Everyone Loses In a 9/11 Show Trial

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 05.03.2012

Read More: Federal Courts, 9/11 Trials, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Guantanamo Bay, Counterterrorism, Terrorism, George W. Bush, 9/11, World Trade Center, September 11 Attacks, Ksm, Gitmo, Barack Obama, Military Commissions, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

When even the former chief prosecutor opposes a trial in the military commissions he headed, there's something seriously wrong. Since their creation...

Read Post

Right-Wing Media Joins Left in Gitmo Outrage

David Tereshchuk | Posted 05.05.2012

Read More: Guantanamo, Conservatives, Mother Jones, The American Conservative, Military Commissions, Republican, Gitmo Convictions, Guantanamo Bay, Media News
David Tereshchuk

Cases previously handled by military tribunals -- there have been just six convictions gained among 800 Gitmo prisoners in 10 years -- have created legal infamy.

Read Post

Senate Introduces Disastrous New Detention Bill

Amnesty International | Posted 01.18.2012

Read More: Military Commissions, Amnesty International, Military Tribunals, Guantanamo Prisoners, Guantanamo Detainees, National Defense Authorization, Human Rights Guantanamo, Civil Rights Detainees, Politics News
Amnesty International

The new National Defense Authorization Bill presented to the Senate is such a disaster for civil liberties and human rights it is difficult to know where to begin.

Read Post

Al-Nashiri Military Commission Case Presents Moral and Legal Dilemmas

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 01.10.2012

Read More: Federal Courts, Guantanamo, Uss Cole, Col. James Pohl, Abd Al-Rahim Al-Nashiri, Terrorism, Military Commissions, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

The Obama administration will mark the 10-year anniversary of the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay with the trial of a man locked up for a decade without trial and accused of "war crimes" committed long before the United States was even at war.

Read Post

Ten Years After 9/11: Congress Is Still Terrified and We Are No Safer

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 10.11.2011

Read More: John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Debt Ceiling, Mccain, Civil Rights, Terrorism, 9/11, Congress, Obama, Salim Hamdan, Military-Detention, Osama Bin Laden, Aumf, Afghanistan War, Mckeon, Military Commissions, Human Rights, Guantanamo Bay, Ndaa, National Defense Authorization Act, September 11th, Dhs, Fbi, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

If you think Congress' handling of the debt ceiling crisis was a catastrophe, take a closer look at how lawmakers are responding to the terrorism threat.

Read Post

Mitch McConnell Drafts Casey Anthony Into the War on Terror

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 09.10.2011

Read More: Federal Courts, Mitch McConnell, National Defense Authorization Act, Terrorism, Gitmo, Obama, U.S. Constitution, Osama Bin Laden, Military Commissions, Times Square, Guantanamo Bay, Ndaa, Hamdan, Casey Anthony, Richard Reid, Faisal Shahzad, September 11th, Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame, War on Terror, McCocounterterrorism, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

According to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Casey Anthony verdict is precisely why the U.S. should no longer be allowed to bring suspected terrorists to trial in its civilian federal courts: because juries cannot be trusted to convict in all cases.

Read Post

McCain Dethrones the Rule of Law

Bruce Fein | Posted 07.31.2011

Read More: Supreme Court, Law, Alexander Hamilton, Congress, President Obama, Federal Reserve, James Madison, UN Security Council, U.S. Constitution, Pentagon Budget, Common Sense, Robert Jackson, Libya, UN Convention Against Torture, Enemy Combatants, John Bassett Moore, Constitution, Predator Drones, War Powers Resolution, Pentagon, John McCain, Thomas Paine, Libya War, State Secrets, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson, Democrats, U.S. Supreme Court, Military Commissions, Patriot Act, Department of Treasury, U.S. Senate, War Powers Act, Fisa, Republicans, Politics News
Bruce Fein

John McCain's latest war gospel hangs an alarming tale. The rule of law has been dethroned and the president has been endowed with absolute power as the American Empire has eclipsed the American Republic.

Read Post

Obama Threatens to Veto Bill Expanding War and Restricting Prosecution of Terrorists

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 07.25.2011

Read More: Federal Courts, Military Commissions, Buck Mckeon, Veto, National Defense Authorization Act, National Security, Terrorism, Ndaa, President Obama, Aumf, Guantanamo, War on Terror, Detainees, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

As House Republicans continue to press for new and expanded war authority, the White House has issued a rare threat to veto any legislation that would needlessly expand the war on terror.

Read Post

Republicans Quietly Press for Dangerous Expansion of War on Terror

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 07.23.2011

Read More: House of Representatives, War Criminals, War on Terror, National Defense Authorization Act, Terrorism, 9/11, Eric Holder, Hezbollah, Michael Mukasey, Buck Mckeon, Congress, War Crimes, Iran, Military Commissions, National Security, Justice Department, Ndaa, September 11th, Defense Department, Daqduq, World News
Daphne Eviatar

While Congressional Republicans argue publicly they're not seeking to expand the War on Terror beyond its current parameters, they're quietly making clear elsewhere that they intend to do just that.

Read Post

The Other Side of Guantanamo

Rajai Hakki | Posted 07.03.2011

Read More: US Military, Gitmo Torture, War on Terror, Gitmo Detainees, World News, Military Commissions, Politics News
Rajai Hakki

As the US rejoices at the killing of Osama Bin Laden, it is important to remember the people that made real sacrifices in our war against Al-Qaeda. Detainees at Gitmo are not the only people that suffer.

Read Post

Some Thoughts on al Nashiri and Military Commissions While Waiting for the Grown-Ups to Take Over

Gabor Rona | Posted 06.22.2011

Read More: Military Commissions, Uss Cole Bombings, Al Nashiri, Al Nashiri Uss Cole, Al Nashiri Commission, World News
Gabor Rona

The DoD's charges provide a teachable moment about what's wrong with military commissions and why prosecution of al Nashiri, the alleged mastermind of the USS Cole bombing, is better left to the federal criminal courts.‬‪ ‬‪

Read Post

Shattered Dreams: Obama's Failed Plan To Close Gitmo

AP | By PETE YOST | Posted 06.05.2011

Read More: War on Terror, Obama Guantanamo, Guantanamo Detainees, Guantanamo, Guantanamo Bay, Detention Without Trial, Military Commissions, World News

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration has given up its bid to try professed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court, a bow to p...

Read Whole Story

A Fine Precedent for Obama Military Commissions

Human Rights First | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Guantanamo, Civilian Trials, Federal Court, Law and Security, Military Commissions, Ali Hamza Al-Bahlul, World News
Human Rights First

The military commissions are about war crimes and for the enemy to aid the enemy is not a war crime.

Read Post

Obama Makes Indefinite Detention His Own

ProPublica | Dafna Linzer | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Military Trials, Obama Guantanamo, Terrorism, Guantanamo Detainees, Guantanamo Bay, Security, Military Commissions, World News

President Obama yesterday formalized indefinite detention for dozens of men held at Guantanamo Bay and announced that the Pentagon would move ahead wi...

Read Whole Story

Allegations of Abuse, Violations of the Law, Shroud Military Commissions Case

Human Rights First | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Military Commissions, Law and Security, Torture, Noor Uthman Muhammed, Material Support, Guantanamo, Politics News
Human Rights First

"I have never been a member of al Qaeda or the Taliban." These are the words of Noor Uthman Muhammed, read to a panel of military commission member...

Read Post

Ghailani Trial and Sentence Affirms US Federal Court System

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Federal Courts, Military Commissions, Judge Lewis Kaplan, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, Kenya, Al Qaeda, Counterterrorism, Terrorism, East Africa, Guantanamo, 1998 Embassy Bombings, Tanzania, Susan Hirsch, Torture, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

In addition to noting their own pain and anger, victims today praised a federal court judge and the United States justice system for bringing Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani to justice in a public courtroom following a fair trial.

Read Post

Ghailani Life Sentence Shows Up Military Commission Fans

Human Rights First | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Guantanamo, Federal Court, Ahmed Ghailani, Law and Security, Military Commissions, World News
Human Rights First

Raha Wala Georgetown Fellow, Law and Security Proponents of trying individuals in military commissions are all but declaring victory after the Obama ...

Read Post

Is the White House's Gitmo Policy Unraveling or Coming Together?

ProPublica | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Federal Trial, President Obama, Robert Gates, Guantánamo Bay, Hillary Clinton, Eric Holder, Detainees, Military Commissions, Guantanamo, Guantanamo Trials, Gitmo Trials, Gitmo, Politics News
ProPublica

The news today that the Obama administration has decided to go forward with new military at Guantanamo will test its commitment to a two-track policy and Obama's first promise as president: to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Read Post

Judge Appears Skeptical of Former Gitmo Prisoner's Appeal

Daphne Eviatar | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Judge Lewis Kaplan, Cia, Guantanamo Bay, Terrorism, u.s. Federal Court, Ahmed Ghailani, Justice Department, Torture, Military Commissions, Politics News
Daphne Eviatar

Although Ahmed Ghailani's lawyer today made a valiant effort to argue that his client's conviction in November should be reversed, he will have an uphill battle convincing a very skeptical federal judge.

Read Post

Amanda Terkel

High-Level Military Panel: Ban On Women In Combat Is Discriminatory

HuffingtonPost.com | Amanda Terkel | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Women's Rights, US Military, Vfw, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Women Veterans, Military Leadership Diversity Commission, American Legion, Veterans, Military Commissions, Women Military, Women in Combat, Military, National Organization of Women, Military Diversity, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- A high-level military advisory panel is set to recommend that the armed services overturn its policy barring women from serving in comba...

Read Whole Story

Slouching Towards Tyranny

Bruce Fein | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: American Revolution, Law, Civil Liberties, Philosophy, Cia, Homeland Security Committee, Material Assistance, President Obama, Fbi, Founding Fathers, War Crimes, Kidnapping, National Security, President Bush, Imperialism, Constitution, Predator Drones, Peter King, US Constitution, Afghanistan, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Pakistan, State Secrets, United States, Empire, Military Commissions, Patriot Act, Bagram, Counterterrorism, Edward Gibbon, Extraordinary Rendition, Torture, Hessians, Politics News
Bruce Fein

The state of civil liberties and national security in the United States is alarming. In the American Empire, the former are routinely crippled or lacerated in the false name of the latter.

Read Post

John Yoo, torture architect, remains unerringly wrong on facts and law

Human Rights First | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Federal Court, John Yoo, Law and Security, Military Commissions, David Petraeus, Torture, World News
Human Rights First

Gabor Rona International Legal Director Torture architect Prof. John Yoo had an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal the other day, following the convict...

Read Post

Wrong, Wrong and Right on Federal Courts for Terrorism Cases

Human Rights First | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Federal Court, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, Law and Security, Military Commissions, World News
Human Rights First

Gabor Rona International Legal Director There are two distinct camps criticizing the use of federal courts to try terrorism suspects after last week'...

Read Post