. . . but no, the ACLU actually thinks it's a good idea:
"The decision to try KSM & Co. as civilians drew predictable applause from the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil libertarians. But they should be careful what they wish for. From a criminal-justice standpoint, there are many irregularities about these cases, not least the fact that the government concedes (wrongly in our view, but that and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee) that some of the defendants, including KSM, were "tortured" by its agents.
Yet the political pressure for a conviction will be immense. "Anything short of slamdunk convictions will empower the president's critics," opines Devlin Barrett of the Associated Press. Not only that, but an acquittal would put the administration in the position of having either to free a dangerous terrorist or to hold indefinitely someone who has been acquitted--either way, a disastrous failure for the administration's antiterror policies.
The judiciary will not be immune to these pressures. No trial judge will want to be known as the Lance Ito of 9/11. More importantly, appeals judges--including Supreme Court justices--will surely hesitate to let KSM off on a technicality."
Chalk this up to another decision made without thinking through all of the ramifications. Whatever happened to Mr. Nuance? And they said Bush always shot from the hip. Sheesh.
Read it all here (but scroll down).
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