Reid: . . . a flawed system that failed to prosecute a single terrorist

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Reid: Five Years Later, We Must Finally Bring Terrorists to Justice

9/6/2006 3:51:00 PM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71855

Contact: Rebecca Kirszner or Jim Manley, 202-224-2939, both for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid issued the following statement on President Bush's announcement today about detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and new legislation to establish military commissions to try suspected terrorists for their crimes:

"Democrats welcome the Bush Administration's long-overdue decision to try some of the alleged masterminds of the Sept. 11 attacks and other hideous terrorist acts. For five years, Democrats have stood ready to work with the President and the Republican Congress to establish sound procedures to bring terrorists to justice. Unfortunately, President Bush ignored the advice of our uniformed military and set up a flawed system that failed to prosecute a single terrorist and was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court has said Congress should establish the rules for military commissions. To meet this challenge, the Armed Services Committee is drafting a bipartisan proposal that reflects the views of our senior uniformed military lawyers. Sen. Frist must allow that process to move forward. The last thing we need is a repeat of the arrogant, go-it-alone behavior that has jeopardized and delayed efforts to bring these terrorists to justice for five years."

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=71855

[Solly Mack]

1. Congress ALWAYS had the legal authority to establish...

(and only Congress)....that had the legal authority to authorize military tribunals.

Bush overstepped his authority when he set up military tribunals on his own... Bush also broke the law when he set up military tribunals at GTMO without authorization from Congress.


President Bush's Order on Military Trials of Non-Citizens: Beyond His Constitutional or Statutory Authority
http://www.cdt.org/security/011100clark.shtml
http://www.cdt.org/security/011129aclu.pdf#search=%22section%20836%2C%20UCMJ%2C%20Congress%20authorizes%20military%20tribunaLS%22
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Solly%20Mack/38
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Solly%20Mack/39