The US Has To Be Nice

so others will like us…

On June 30th on Fox News’ Dayside program, they were discussing the NYT’s “release” of the SWIFT story and SCOTUS’ ruling in Hamdan. The guests were Kristen Powers (Democratic Strategist) and John Leboutillier (Former NY Congressman currently of Newsmax). I couldn’t believe what he said.

At one point they were discussing Gitmo and a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll that showed that 43% of respondents thought it was fair to hold detainees without charging them and 44% who thought it was not fair. Mr. Leboutillier’s comment was as follows:

Well Mike, you know, my view on it is, I think we all believe in a system of how to charge criminals – and these are criminals. And there’s something un-American about taking people, not trying them and just locking them up wherever. Now the worry I have is – next week, next month, next year – what if some American soldiers are taken – by some terrorist group – or some country – and they don’t charge them, they don’t give them back, they just say. “Ah, we’re keeping them for as long as we want.” We have lost our ability to say, “you’re wrong for doing this.”

I hadn’t posted on it yet because I was busy with other things for the last 11 days. Big weekend was coming up, final week of my current class, planning a trip to San Francisco that we leave for tomorrow.

I’m sorry. When I first heard this, I TiVo’d it because I needed to have it so I could transcribe it. The quote seemed so very outlandish to me. And this is a Republican saying this. The first thing I thought back on June 30th had to do with his “worry” about

… next week, next month, next year – what if some American soldiers are taken – by some terrorist group – or some country – and they don’t charge them, they don’t give them back, they just say. “Ah, we’re keeping them for as long as we want.” …

What about Kristian Menchaca and Thomas Tucker? Their bodies were found not 10 days before.

Now, just yesterday, the terrorists have released video of the horrors that they have perpetrated upon our brave soldiers. Rusty at The Jawa Report has the video.

We’ve been nice Mr. Leboutillier. Terrorists aren’t nice. They never will be nice. Even if we let every single detainee, held anywhere, go. Right now. Terrorists would still terrorize. Even if we left Iraq and Afghanistan right now. Terrorists would still terrorize.

That was the first thought. The second thought was criminals?. These people aren’t criminals. They’re terrorists.