KSM - If You Can Try Him Here, You Can Try Him Anywhere

The mayor of the greatest city in the world has had a change of heart about the wisdom of trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City:

The Obama administration on Wednesday lost its most prominent backer of the plan to try the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks in Lower Manhattan when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said the trial should not be held in New York City.

The mayor’s reversal was a political blow to the White House’s efforts to resolve a landmark terror case a few blocks from where Al Qaeda hijackers rammed planes into the World Trade Center, a trial that the president saw as an important demonstration of American justice.

Mr. Bloomberg said that a more secure location, like a military base, would be less disruptive and less costly. His remarks echoed growing opposition from Wall Street executives, the real estate industry and neighborhood groups, who have questioned the burdens that such a trial would bring to a heavily trafficked area of the city.

“It’s going to cost an awful lot of money and disturb an awful lot of people,” Mr. Bloomberg said at a news conference in Brooklyn. “My hope is that the attorney general and the president decide to change their mind.“

Why the flip-flop?

Mr. Bloomberg had steadfastly supported the location of the trial. When the news broke two months ago, he declared, “It is fitting that 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site, where so many New Yorkers were murdered.”

But over the past few weeks, he has heard from scores of business and community leaders who urged him to reverse course. Real estate brokers argued that security restrictions would dampen the market for apartments in Chinatown and TriBeCa; small-business owners feared a severe drop-off in customers; and residents worried that they would be unable to use their local streets.

The Police Department has said that in preparation for the trial, the area around the courthouse would be flooded with uniformed police officers, in cars and on horseback, and surrounded by 2,000 interlocking metal barriers.

“I believe it would destroy the economy in Lower Manhattan,” said Steve Spinola, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, which represents property owners. He has urged the mayor’s office to speak out against holding the trial in the city.

The city estimated it would spend more than $200 million a year on security for the trial, making it one of the most expensive security operations it would ever take on.

City Hall aides said that the complex trial could drag on for years, eventually costing the city close to $1 billion in the middle of a deep recession, though most of that is expected to be shouldered by the federal government.

I know a billion ain't what it used to be but that is still a lot of money just to help Obama and Holder feel good about themselves.

Others are deserting the sinking ship as well:

On the heels of Mayor Bloomberg’s flip-flop today over trying Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four henchmen in New York City, two prominent Democratic lawmakers from the state are telling Team Obama to hold the trial elsewhere.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Nydia Velázquez have sided with President Obama’s GOP opponents in arguing the trial should not be held in New York City after all.

It will be interesting to see whether the White House can climb down gracefully.

Comments

[windansea]

House Minority Leader John Boehner said Wednesday the Obama administration doesn’t have the votes to change the law to move detainees to U.S. territory for trial or to spend $500 million to refurbish the Thompson prison in Illinois to host the detainees who would be held there while awaiting trial in New York City.
“There is not going to be a trial in New York, I guarantee it. There is no appetite for the trials in Congress,” Boehner, R-Ohio, said.
The leader added that any effort to do so will be used in the midterm election campaign.
“This is a big issue … and a big issue we will campaign on this year,” he added.

[Danube of Thought]

An utterly stupid and indefensible idea, and the remarkable thing is that no one in or out of the administration has made any coherent effort to defend it at all.

They don't yet seem to sense how strongly this issue reverberates.

[MikeS]

I like the idea of turning Gitmo into a rehabilitation facility. Then we could just send enemy combatants there until they are rehabilitated or until the rising seas submerge the place, which ever comes first.

[Jack is Back!]

What I can't believe is that someone like Jim Jones either is pro-civil trials and exporting idiotic malfeasance to New York City or he is not being even asked or listened to in this deliberation. I wonder how long he will last before he says "sayanora"??

[Free Radical]

Simple solution, with all that implies:

1) Pick Judge, Jury.

2) Fly the whole court (bailiffs, court reporters, everybody) down to Gitmo for three months. Try him under New York Law, complete with real New Yorkers.

Security provided by Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. No chance of jury tampering or breaking the sequestering.

I'm SO volunteering.

[NK]

I suggest holding the trial in Eric Holder's office, and Holder has to attend every session. Let Eric sweat out the car and underpants bombs that will accompany this "trial"; maybe it will focus his mind.

[windansea]

OT

A top House committee responded to the mounting voter backlash against backroom deals on health reform by seeking more information Wednesday about White House negotiations with industry groups.

Under the agreement Chairman Henry Waxman brokered with Texas Republican Rep. Michael Burgess, the California Democrat has offered to help Republicans get a comprehensive list of meetings the White House held with industry representatives, as well as records documenting calls and e-mails between outside groups and the Department of Health and Human Services.

at Politico

Obama "I didn't make a bunch of deals."

[MikeS]

On the other hand, though al Qaeda isn't a state, it is an entity which has declared war on us. I might be willing to consider a formal unconditional surrender. That, to be followed by war crimes trials under article 3.

[JorgXMcKie]

"It will be interesting to see whether the White House can climb down gracefully."

Tom, may I please have some of whatever you're smoking/drinking that would even lead to such a thought?

I mean, climb down at all?

[Cecil Turner]

2) Fly the whole court (bailiffs, court reporters, everybody) down to Gitmo for three months.

Good start, but why not just empanel five military officers and have a two-week special? We can bring the whole thing in under a million (or sell broadcast rights and make a profit).

Then we can have the executions right there. Or if by some fluke they're found not guilty, we can just put 'em right back in the detention facility.

[matt]

One of the images I had from last night was that of that smug bastard Holder half smiling his way through the room.

He has stonewalled on the past connections with the defense of these war criminals by members of his Justice Department staff and has been held unaccountable by Congress as well.

He has not outlined the legal theory under which he is trying these terrorists, nor has he even given a half assed explanation of the background for the decision. His arrogance is truly stunning.

Despite the outrage of New Yorkers and a significant part of the population; the legal community, and much of Congress, this worm has managed to get away with it so far with no accountability.

[Fresh Air]

If only there were a remote, secure military base available for this sort of thing.

[Rob Crawford]

Good start, but why not just empanel five military officers and have a two-week special? We can bring the whole thing in under a million (or sell broadcast rights and make a profit).

We could always solve the problem for about 40 cents for each Gitmo detainee. Fifty-three cents if we want to be doubly sure and use hollow point .45s.

[Jack is Back!]

J. D. Salinger dead at 91.

[clarice]

Ron Radosh reports that historian Martin Sklar believes Holder's conduct in this case constitutes an impeachable offense.
http://pajamasmedia.com/ronradosh/

Let the rumpu begin!
After all this is a wildly unpopular move, unwarranted by any law and obviously distasteful to LE and the intel orgs.

I wish I could forgive and forget the treatment the Dems gave the hapless but honest Gonzales. But I can't. Now it's Holder's turn and from the black Panthers case to this one, he deserves whatever he gets.

[daddy]

Guy's, FWIW,

Landed about 4 hours AGO in a foreign country (japan) from the US.

Obviously went barhopping on arrival, but for the last 2 hours as I have been very assiduously observing the 2 English language Channels (BBC and CNN International) I have seen none, nada, zero comments or reporting on Obama's State Of the Union Speech. Everything else, Haiti, Hockey, NFL (you name it), that stuff is trotted out like nothing, but as for the speech by the greatest Speechmaker in human history, describing the current state of the Republic, nothing. Seriously, when you get up, see if you guys can find BBC or CCN International on your cable-boxes, and if so, see if either of those 2 orgs have yet figured out how to make this Socialistic drivel cosmetically appealing to the masses.

My unscientific conclusion is that our 'Second Coming of Abe Lincoln' Prez is now an embarrassment to the intellectuals of the MS, and the new mode will be how to divorce themselves from Obama's ignorance while still touting his policies.

[narciso]

Lol, Daddy, he has suffered the fate of Comrade Ogilvy, although I am sure it's an oversight, if they continued to do that, it would create one of those universes in a box
just like Futurama

[Gabriel Sutherland]

FIRE! Ready? Aim!

He needs to fire Rahm, Valerie and David fast. These three stooges are going to kill his Presidency.

[Gabriel Sutherland]

He has stonewalled on the past connections with the defense of these war criminals by members of his Justice Department staff and has been held unaccountable by Congress as well.

Speaker Pelosi is finished. The intel I get in battleground districts makes Speaker Pelosi look like 2006 George W. Bush, 1974 Richard M. Nixon, and 1968 Lyndon B. Johnson all in one.

The challengers merely mention 'Pelosi' and faces turn to instant scowls.

The huge gap in oversight of the Executive branch is killing Congressional approval numbers.

[daddy]

Narciso,

Just about to nod off, but that Futurama episode you mention, "The Farnsworth Paradox" is stinking wonderful.

And again, it has been 2 and a half hours in the hotel room, and so far zero comments at all about the SOTU from the 2 channels that I keep flipping back and forth between, BBC and CNN International.

Yippee!!!

[Ignatz]

--These three stooges are going to kill his Presidency.--

I don't think they're killing it.
They appear to me more as a Greek chorus egging on the suicide of the main actor in this minor and let's hope quickly forgotten tragedy.

[Fritz]

This might sound cruel and heartless but I believe the people of New York deserve the trial and all of headaches it will bring. They voted for Obama and his whole unserious attitude towards terrorism. They are now reaping what they have sown.

If anyone should have seen the folly of treating terrorists like ordinary criminals it is New Yorkers who suffered so much. Hopefully the billion they spend on the trial will finally bankrupt them.

What does it take to get some people to come to their senses?

[bgates]

Little edit:

The Obama administration on Wednesday lost its most prominent backer of their self-described "plan" to try the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks in Lower Manhattan

[Old Lurker]

...FA: "If only there were a remote, secure military base available for this sort of thing."

Well if you found one, it would have to be outfitted to hold high value dangerous prisoners in total security and with capability to deliver first class medical care and other amenities. And of course it would need to be available immediately. Gee, good luck finding such a place.

[peter]

J. D. Salinger dead at 91.

Holden Caulfield in the White House.

[Rob Crawford]

The challengers merely mention 'Pelosi' and faces turn to instant scowls.

They're just doing their imitations of her. Natural mistake.

[Fresh Air]

Ignatz--

I don't think the Greek chorus analogy works insofar as it usually served the purpose of warning the protagonist of his hubris. If there is a smidgen of awareness present in any of these dim bulbs, it hasn't been made public.

But the egging on to suicide to part is right. The whole lot of these idiots is over the edge of the cliff, waiting for gravity. If they had cut taxes--even a short-term suspension of the payroll tax--last year, and focused on reducing the burdens on businesses, we would be looking at a possible bottoming of the economic cycle. Now it's too late to do any of this stuff, and most small business owners are going to be distrustful enough of Congress to defer hiring as long as possible to avoid higher fixed labor costs.

What's even worse is Bernanke has burned through half a billion, on his way to a trillion dollars worth of monetization, including the degraded paper of Fannie & Freddie. These actions have not stabilized the banking system, have not led a housing rebound, have not caused the banks to lend, and will have no discernible effect on the economy in the long run save increasing the national debt and creating a moral hazard for poor lending practices.

The unemployment rate is going to still be sitting at 10 percent come August. Even a dramatic rebound in the early fall won't significantly boost Mediacrat fortunes. The country may not be doomed, but most assuredly the Media is.

[Janet]

This is a repost from the end of the SOTU thread -
That Community College business is something to keep an eye on. The one here in Northern Virginia is full of promoters of SDS, La Raza, all kinds of Muslim groups,...
I took a motorcycle riding coarse there, and the halls were lined with bulletin boards and pamphlets promoting those groups. ACORN recruiting grounds? It sure had that feel.

I don't trust this administration at all. Their plans are never about helping who they say they want to help. They are all about growing leftist organizations.

[fdcol63]

" ... This might sound cruel and heartless but I believe the people of New York deserve the trial and all of headaches it will bring. They voted for Obama and his whole unserious attitude towards terrorism. They are now reaping what they have sown. ..."

Justice is seeing Obama voters having to live in the world they helped to create with their vote.

The great injustice, of course, is that the rest of us must share this nightmare.

[E. Nigma]

Janet
The telling clue would have been how Obama ran the Annenberg Challenge. Funneling Other People's Money to leftist activists' groups.
And working as a lawyer for ACORN in the early 90's.
There are no surprises, just a few meager data points, as most of the 'Story of O' has been hidden.

A small man with a big mouth and a big ego.

The SOTU in 2011 will be much different, with a decidedly different audience.

[fdcol63]

Story of O.

Very apt ... except we're O in this version, and not enjoying it as much.

[Ignatz]

--Ignatz--

I don't think the Greek chorus analogy works insofar as it usually served the purpose of warning the protagonist of his hubris.--

FA,

Figured somebody would catch that, but I was just too busy (lazy) to fix it.

[Janet]

J. D. Salinger dead at 91.

The Catcher in the Rye is one book that makes me laugh out loud. The fact that so many nut-cases liked the book too (Reagan's and Lennon's shooters) always made me a little self conscious about liking it so much...but I do. Some of his short stories too.

[Frau Sowienoch]

... our 'Second Coming of Abe Lincoln'
The first as tragedy and the second as tragic farce.

[Frau Sowienoch]

Janet, the civilian national security jackboots, er, corps needs to be cultivated somewhere --the VA community college you visited?

[Paul]

Back to the main topic: If I were a New Yorker and the trial of KSM became a reality, I'd organize a Million Man Person March to greet KSM and friends when they arrived in NYC. Maybe they'd make it to the courthouse, maybe not. It would be really, really interesting.

[matt]

Paul;

Maybe some pitchforks, nooses, and torches at the fore of that march. KSM probably has cable, so it would scare the bejeepers out of him.

can you imagine 100,000 New Yorkers protesting. That would send a message to the dimwits in DC.

[windansea]

NY pols stunned to learn Obama administration opposes funding for 9/11 health bill

The Obama administration stunned New York's delegation Thursday, dropping the bombshell news that it does not support funding the 9/11 health bill.

The state's two senators and 14 House members met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius just hours before President Obama implored in his speech to the nation for Congress to come together and deliver a government that delivers on its promises to the American people.

"She made it clear that the administration does not support any kind of funding mechanism that goes into the bill," said Bronx Rep. Eliot Engel. "I think it's fiscal restraint… but you know what? They find money for everything else, they need to find money for this," Engel said

link

this is a major goof

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Add Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA)to the list:

Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is the highest-ranking Democrat to urge the administration to reverse course on its decision to bring the terror leaders to Manhattan for trial.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

We could always solve the problem for about 40 cents for each Gitmo detainee. Fifty-three cents if we want to be doubly sure and use hollow point .45s.

I'll chip in the $1.06 each; use two rounds.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Let the rumpu begin!

I don't think I've ever seen that in the singular before.

[clarice]

Now you have.. A LITTLE TYPOLATIN WITH WHICH TO WASH DOWN THE CHINESE.

[matt]

i have several family members who were first responders that day and afterwards. They have been completely let down by the city and the Feds.

many, many respiratory and immune system problems including lupus in men.

[BobS]

Gang...Obama knows all this. Emanuel has likely counseled him to make the GOP spend their political capital to shut Holder down.

[Rob Crawford]

Emanuel has likely counseled him to make the GOP spend their political capital to shut Holder down.

If the public supports that idea, then that's not capital spent, but invested. It will be paid back.

[sbw]

Considering the stats, I don't know why more people aren't clamoring to retire jersey #44.

[clarice]

The Wh seems to be moving to shut Holder down or at least reign him in all by itself:

[quoteWhite House officials have told the Justice Department to consider other venues for the 9/11 terror trial that was to be held in lower Manhattan, the Daily News has learned. The decision came after Mayor Bloomberg and other politicians across the state railed against President Obama's plan to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Manhattan Federal Court.[/quote]
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/01/28/2010-01-28_white_house_orders_justice_department_to_look_for_other_places_to_hold_911_terro.html

[sam]

Breaking News per Drudge:

PAPER: OBAMA ORDERS JUSTICE TO MOVE TERROR TRIAL OUT OF NYC

What a clown circus!

[clarice]

**REIN him in***

[Jane]

PAPER: OBAMA ORDERS JUSTICE TO MOVE TERROR TRIAL OUT OF NYC

My gawd this man is incompetent. Where does he intend to move it to - Chicago? He really needs to get a grip.

[peter]

Reign him in might be correct, with this delusional asshat thinking he's royalty. But at any rate, it is good news that the administration is reversing one of its more severe errors. The real question remains, even if the venue is changed, will it still be in a civilian court, or will it go back to a military tribunal, where it belongs.

[Janet]

Hipster doofus

[clarice]

Hugh Hewitt reports he has credible info that the Dems plan to resurrect the zombie healthcare plan and jam it thru using reconciliation.

I think it's impossible to underestimate the degree of fury and blowback such a move would engender.

[PaulL]

Sarah's takedown of the State of the Union speech is fabulous. LUN

[Janet]

A young Barry Soetoro sits on a curb in Hawaii contemplating his future...

[RichatUF]

Wow.

[William Teach]

Hey, maybe someone wacked Obama with a cluebat this morning, and he is finally starting to listen, instead of lecture?

That, or he was blind stinking drunk and made a mistake on the order to make sure the trial was kept in NYC.

[Porchlight]

Sarah's takedown of the State of the Union speech is fabulous.

It really was. 100% on the money and the tone was just right - not too aggro, not too nice.

[Porchlight]

Hugh Hewitt reports he has credible info that the Dems plan to resurrect the zombie healthcare plan and jam it thru using reconciliation.

HotAir has something about it. Kyl supposedly is getting the info from "credible sources" (Hewitt interviewed Kyl today). I don't know if I buy it. I think it's just being floated to make the left think they're doing their best.

Yet according to a HotAir comment by windansea, the lefties aren't talking about it. Hmmm.

[Rick Ballard]

Hewitt - Kyl interview

The Zombiecare bit is down a page or so.

Go for it, Nan, it'll only cost 100 House seats.

[narciso]

She must have thought 'field dressing a moose, is easier,' than trying to trying to untangle this speech, but it grew from her rather reserved take, in her new pundit slot

[windansea]

Yet according to a HotAir comment by windansea, the lefties aren't talking about it. Hmmm

I think it's bs, my global lefty warming system shows a negative anomaly

[centralcal]

You guys - hello - this is the Anointed One, The Obama - he will probably move it to Washington, DC.

Holder and Zero can always be counted on! Peas in a pod.

[Porchlight]

I think it's bs, my global lefty warming system shows a negative anomaly

Sure hope you're right...my hunch says you are.

[clarice]

I think even if she held a gun to their heads, Pelosi couldn't get enough votes for it.

[centralcal]

LOL! The commenters at Hot Air have a few suggestions:

Detroit
Chicago
Boston
San Francisco

...and so it goes.

[Rick Ballard]

It's Kabuki for the MoveOn Morons and Code Pinkos who own the party. If Skeletor and Dingy push on (at BOzo's command) it will shred the party. If they don't push on, it will shred the party.

BOzo has a firm hand on the tiller - the ferry is taking on a lot of water from the collision with Scylla so he's heading for Charybdis at full power.

I think he'll make it.

[windansea]

this is going to be a NIMBY clusterfark

who's going to want it

maybe we can have it in Puerto Vallarta

occupancy rates are a bit down

[narciso]

It's a colosaly stupid gesture, we got lucky
with Mutallab, who apparently had a dozen associates nabbed in Malaysia this week, but
we are testing fate. What we have here is a
shinier cafe aut lait version of Dukakis, with
the same almost criminally naive attitude toward criminals and terrorists

[clarice]

He won't move the trial here. Congress wouldn't stand for it..and we were already targeted during 9/11 and the anthrax attacks..

I think San Francisco's perfect...

Actually, Congress will never okay the transfers from Gitmo for civilian trial here and they have to under the law. This utterly stupid and futile gesture will die on the vine.

[peter]

The campaign is over, and President Obama now has something that candidate Obama never had: an actual track record in office.. Best line in Sarah's SOTU takedown.

[MikeS]

...'field dressing a moose, is easier'...

She earned a few gravitas point from me for her analysis. I thought she did a great job without being nasty at all. Unless of course you read a little something extra, as I did, into her use of the phrase "smaller, smarter government."

[Melinda Romanoff]

White House hits "B3" on the jukebox, will choose another location for KSM trial where some might be more "receptive" to Federal "stimulus" dollars.

Anybody check whether or not Geithner was under oath?

I'm thinking not so much.

Watching "Road to Zanzibar", cheesy, but entertaining.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Oh, LUN.

[narciso]

I think the Mutallab decision along with Ft. Hood, was the fulcrum. the Brown victory was
a manifestation of it. The fact that at least
one of these cleared AQ, like Shehri, was involved punctuated the point, even in NYC,

[verner]

Narciso, is it me, or are we one terrorist hit away from Hillary running in 2012.

And did we notice here absence from last night's borefest?

[MikeS]

...are we one terrorist hit away from Hillary running...?

I doubt that another one is necessary. Obama is so irrationally progressive that I can imagine a Democrat running on Sarah's "smaller smarter government" theme.

[narciso]

Bayh might try it, if he does not suffer the ignominy of being defeated, like his father
was by Quayle. So might Webb, although I find
him less that credible, This of course, one of the many idiocies behind a Huckabee campaign

[Jim Miller]

Hyde Park in Chicago is the perfect place to hold he trial.

[Fresh Air]

If KSM got loose on the South Side, he would probably be gunned down by a gangbanger about 30 seconds after he crossed 47th street. Though I suppose there's always the option of trying to hide in the coal mine at the Museum of Science & Industry. I for one think it would be a hoot. They could do the whole trial on the Quadrangle at U of C, like an open-air Shakespeare production. Refreshments could be sold and folding chairs set up for the audience. It would be like Inherit the Wind, minus Spencer Tracy.

[Fresh Air]

Narciso--

It's difficult to see any Democrat in Congress running for president. Talk about a thankless task! There isn't a scintilla of daylight between them and Zero, and they just couldn't get traction as outsiders. No, it won't happen. I could see an actual outsider running. But you're talking about an incredibly small list of names: Democrat governors (possibly mayors) of non-basketcase states (or cities). Maybe Crist switches parties? Nah. Plus ALL of the blacks stay home next time if Zero gets pushed out.

The only hope for the Mediacrats is some like a chimeric economic turnaround that coincides with 2012. I give that about as much chance as I do of Hillary Clinton going down six sizes in her pantsuit. The USS Ship of State is very slow to turn, and doubling down on stupid is about to cost them another year in which they could have done something positive.

[glasater]

Major Garrett is tweeting:

Military charges against 9/11 plotters have been dropped, ruling out military commissions. No timeline yet to resolve talks on alt NYC site.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

So these 9/11 terrorists have pleaded guilty and now the military drops the charges and they don't know where to try them. Why do they need a trial, since they've said, "I'm guilty?" Fry their a$$es and get it over with.

[narciso]

Just goes to show that climate change is the last refuge of the scoundrel Obama has taken
up the IPCC banner,

[narciso]

In the LUN

[clarice]

narciso, you mean OSAMA.

[Fritz]

Narciso channels (Osama Obama) Ted Kennedy.

Hey didn't Obama scold Bush for dropping the ball and not getting Osama? I must have missed the part in his STOFU where he listed as one of his accomplishments the capture of Osama.

[sbw]

Saaay, why don't they hold the trial at Fort Hood? It's secure and they could select jurors from the local community to assure a fair trial.

[jorod]

NIMBY at work.

[Will]

I suggest we sequester everyone needed for the trial in Prudhoe Bay Alaska. It probably wouldn't save any money but I'll bet the trial would be over before a second winter.