Al-Marri Again.

This is coolbert:

The case of Ali al-Marri is finally coming to a head?

The man, a terrorist, who entered the U.S. [as a legal resident], JUST ONE DAY BEFORE 9/11, is going to go on trial.

Will be tried [?], in an ordinary civilian criminal court, on charges of "giving material assistance to a terrorist organization"!

The same charges that were levied against Jose Padilla. Charges resulting in the conviction of Padilla, Padilla receiving an eighteen-year prison term.

The Obama administration has made the decision to conduct the war-on-terror as a criminal matter? It would seem so. We are in a state-of-war [as acknowledged by the Attorney General Holder], but will fight the war as if it was a civil criminal matter?

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THIS DECISION REGARDING AL-MARRI [AND OTHERS LIKE HIM] HAS BEEN MADE MERELY FOR THE SAKE OF RESOLVING OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS WITHOUT REGARD TO LONG-TERM RAMIFICATIONS??!!

Al-Marri at worst is a terrorist whose mission perhaps included the mass murder of American civilians. A mission to be accomplished in the manner of the UNLAWFUL ENEMY COMBATANT [the newspapers repeatedly refer to al-Marri as merely an enemy combatant, neglecting in a purposeful way to omit the word UNLAWFUL!!]!! At best, al-Marri is an enemy spy belonging to, adhering to, and owing allegiance to a terrorist organization whose stated purpose is to kill MILLIONS OF AMERICANS!!

In either case, al-Marri is a man who merits DEATH!!

Being prosecuted in a civil criminal court, charged with "giving material assistance to a terrorist organization" will result in a punishment that will be far less than death!!

Having been locked away in a military brig for over seven years now, al-Marri, even if found guilty [and there is no absolute certainty he will be found guilty], will be more or less immediately eligible for release!! This of course is all predicated on al-Marri receiving more or less the same sentence as Jose Padilla.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, I doubt ANYONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THE CASE OF AL-MARRI WOULD EVENTUALLY TRANSPIRE AS IT HAS??!!

coolbert.