“Although they will try, it will be extremely difficult even for his most devoted loyalists to deny the fundamental cowardice of Barack Obama,” wrote Greenwald. “Even just as a political matter, is there any better way to ensure that Americans will view him as weak than by abandoning one key decision after the next as a result of the slightest pressure? What kind of person could possibly admire a ‘leader’ who does this?”…
“I think it would be unfortunate if he made the change. Then it becomes a question about whether or not you can trust the president’s word,” said Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU’s Washington legislative office. Murphy said only three suspected terrorists have been tried in tribunals, while 300 have passed through the civilian courts, which she said are more efficient and have clearer rules of evidence…
“The political calculation that caving on the 9/11 trial will ensure or even ease the path to close Guantanamo is deeply flawed. Any deal that would gain Sen. Graham’s support will surely lose many more Democratic votes and I am extremely skeptical that Sen. Graham would be able to bring any other Republicans with him, especially as Sen. McConnell has already telegraphed his political strategy of absolute opposition to Obama’s counterterrorism policies,” Gude said.
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