Decision in HAMDAN case is a HUGE loss for BUSH

[Krashkopf]

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba (CNN) -- A U.S. military jury on Wednesday found Osama bin Laden's former driver guilty of five counts of material support to a terror organization in the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Osama bin Laden's ex-driver, Salim Hamdan, in an undated photo, faces a possible life sentence.

1 of 2 In a split verdict, jurors found Salim Hamdan not guilty of conspiracy to aid a terror organization, in this case al Qaeda. To be convicted of that charge, jurors would have had to prove that Hamdan had an intent to aid and plan the attacks. The military commission convicted the guy who admitted to being bin Ladin's driver of being bin Ladin's driver, but, did not convict him of conspiring to commit terrorist acts.

Bush, and the GOPers, are SO UNBELIEVABLY INCOMPETENT, and their policies are SO FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED, that they can't get a CONVICTION in a KANGAROO COURT that they set up to GUARANTEE CONVICTIONS.

Amazing!

Krash

[babylonsister]

1. He's still going to rot in jail though; he's the one that really loses.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/06/hamdan-found-guilty-on-one-of-two-charges/

[Krashkopf]

5. I don't know ANY of the facts of the case . . .

so I don't know whether Hamdan deserves "to rot in jail," or not.

All I know is, that the only thing the panel of military officers convicted him of was of being Osama bin Ladin's driver, and the guy ADMITTED THAT!

I salute the members of the panel who had the courage defy the President, and vote "not guilty" on the more serious, "trumped up," conspiracy charges.

[CatWoman]

2. see this?

:)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3741740

[Krashkopf]

6. LOL . . .

I agree completely!

[bbinacan]

3. He'll probably still get a life sentence

"The five-man, one-woman jury convicted Hamdan on five counts of supporting terrorism, accepting the prosecution argument that Hamdan aided terrorism by becoming a member of al-Qaida in Afghanistan and serving as bin Laden's armed bodyguard and driver while knowing that the al-Qaida leader was plotting attacks against the U.S."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080806/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_bin_laden_s_driver;_ylt=AjidICiYLk8uEkuTaON4uVMDW7oF

[spanone]

4. this was a dog & pony show....the people will see the headline 'convicted' that's all

[CrazyDude]

7. I agree with the verdict itself

Do I agree with the maximum punishment of life in prison ... I don't know, but he did knowingly abet a terrorist organization.

What we learned here is that due process does generate just results, and suspension of due process according to Hamdi, which guaranteed due process for US citizens, Hamdan, which guaranteed compliance with the Geneva Convention, and Boumediene, which held that habeas corpus extends to areas under US control, may only occur under very limited circumstances.

On a side note, I do agree with Mukasey that a declaration of war is required to suspend habeas corpus for Al-Quaeda suspects. Do I agree that we should declare war? In 2001, I would have, but not now.

[fla nocount]

17. Terrorist, freedom fighter, some guy just needed a job?

It depends on which side of your bridge you peer from under I suppose.

Justice was not served or he would still be driving a CIA operative from cave to cave in search of a good satellite connection and a dialysis machine.

[CrazyDude]

18. I believe he just needed a job, but his actions did meet the definition of the offense

This can be a problem with prosecuting war crimes. Your actions are right until you lose.

[TankLV]

26. Well, one thing is certain if you agree with this kangaroo court, your name fits you too a T..

you certainly are nuts...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. If anything, it was an indictment of American "justice".

[Krashkopf]

9. I disagree.

The fact that a military tribunal system that condoned torture, and the use of secret evidence,was set up at all was a corruption of the American Justice system, and an indictment of the America political system.

But, I find the fact that a panel of high ranking military officers refused to go along with the MOST flagrant Constitutional abuses promoted by the military's civilian political leadership, to be a wonderful, hopeful development.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. It was a charade. The result is the same.

They DID convict him of "crimes" that will likely put him in prison for the rest of his life.

His "crime" was no different than the GI's who drive around the generals who order pilots to drop bombs on civilians.

Justice? I don't think so.

[zonmoy]

16. Just say that I figure that cab drivers and other drivers will become hard to find

in case they end up driving a neocon or somebody else that might make them a target for any kangaroo courts.

[Truth4Justice]

21. "American Justice"? What an oxymoron!

[AZ Criminal JD]

10. It looks like the court was not the Kangaroo court you thought it was.

[Krashkopf]

11. It was certainly not the Kangaroo Court . . .

BUSH set it up to be!

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. It would be a kangaroo court even if he was completely acquitted

It is extra-judicial on its face.

[AZ Criminal JD]

23. That comment simply shows that you have no knowledge of our military

You have created a caricature in your mind and you thus act on fantasy.

[alcibiades_mystery]

25. Whatever

There's zero reasons that these cases should not be tried in civilian court. The move to a military court makes it extra-judicial, and that statement doesn't depend on positive or negative assessments of the military. It is extra-judicial regardless.

[TankLV]

27. Our "military" is as corrupt as the repukes and bush* who dictate the terms to it are...

I want my country back...

MY support of the "troops" is CONDITIONAL and VERY SELECTIVE on a CASE BY CASE BASIS...

[Boondog]

13. Salim Hamdan, cooks, tailors, and cobblers - enemies of the US

Is irony the right word to describe how the failure to convict Hamdan in this Star Chamber proceeding is seen as vindication of the military trial process by the White House and John McCain? Imagine what the outcome would have been if Hamdan would have been afforded Confrontation Clause rights, legal protection against hearsay evidence and evidence obtained by torture?

http://leftinthewest.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2032

[zonmoy]

15. He is still a patsy thats taking the fall for 9-11 as far as I am concerned.

[Disturbed]

19. At least twenty more men will be tried.

Is there any chance that any of them will be found not guilty of all charges?

[zonmoy]

22. Figure that hell has a better chance of turning into a paradise.

[Krashkopf]

20. COUNTDOWN on Hamdan Decision

I love it when Keith Olbermann agrees with ME!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NKZctI4aDc

[malaise]

24. BBC says dramatic snob to Bush

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah - five months.

sp.

[Krashkopf]

29. This is a STINGING Rebuke of Bush's whole "War on Terra"

The Judge gave him credit for time served, so he could be free in 5 months!

And THAT was only after the military panel took the chauffeur's terrible driving record into consideration!!

GREAT JOB, George!!

[Supersedeas]

28. and yet the GoP Media Establishment is focused on the so-call clinton-Obama scandal