Friday, August 8, 2008

The Show Must Go On

A bizarre trial was recently held on our military base at Guantanamo, Cuba. Salim Hamdan, an admitted driver for Osama bin Laden, who fully cooperated and told everything he knew of his minor role, was found guilty of supporting terrorism and sentenced to 66 months imprisonment. After reading the narrative of how his trial went, I began wondering. Here is a man who has been imprisoned for seven years already who played such a minor role that he was considered a simple hired hand and he is our showcase for our first military commission? The charge of supporting terrorism is so vague, he could have be found guilty of it had he only provided directions to bin Laden's driver. The 9/11 Commission Report, a copy of which I bought at an airport book store, was considered classified at the proceedings. Why? The court was closed for much of the defense's case, where most of the prosecution's case was held in open court. How credible are the proceedings if they are held in secret? Whether or not Hamdan was found guilty, he would still be held indefinitely at Guantanamo. So the big question is, what's the point?

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