Obama’s Sept. 10th Mindset

National Review Online: The Terrorism Debate Is One McCain Should Welcome, And Win

(National Review Online)  This column was written by The Editors.

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Barack Obama is the herald of the September 10 Democrats.

On Monday, Obama off-handedly reiterated his fondness for 1990s-style treatment of Islamic terrorists as if they were mere criminals to be managed by prosecution in the civilian criminal-justice system. By now, that should come as no surprise. Pressed on the subject again Wednesday, Obama insisted, “I have confidence that our system of justice is strong enough to deal with terrorists.” Top Obama backer Bill Richardson, a member of the Clinton Cabinet that delegated national defense to our system of justice while radical Islam killed Americans in New York City, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Yemen, told CNN on Wednesday that he “totally” rejected the Bush administration policy of branding jihadists as enemy combatants because doing so is somehow tantamount to “abridging our own freedoms.”

Appropriately, John McCain has slammed Obama and his fellow wishful thinkers as naïve and beholden to a “September 10th” mindset - the mindset that gave us the mass murder of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001.

The occasion for this latest dust-up was the Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Boumediene v. Bush vesting alien enemy combatants detained by our military with a constitutional right to habeas corpus - that is, to review by the civilian courts of the military’s determination that they are enemy combatants. In addition to raising the possibility that jihadists who pose a lethal threat to Americans will be released, Boumediene portends litigation chaos: The justices have dumped potentially hundreds of detainee cases on the federal district courts with no guidance about the rules and procedures that should govern those proceedings.

Naturally, this prospect has prompted intense debate. McCain called the decision one of the worst in American history. Obama, by contrast, is glowing in his praise and yearns for a return to the model of our treatment of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, when, he points out, suspects were apprehended and successfully prosecuted in the civilian courts.

Leaving aside that Obama here is once again not in command of the facts (not all of those responsible for the 1993 bombing were apprehended), the criminal-prosecution approach left America vulnerable. (For a powerful account of why, see our colleague Andy McCarthy’s book, “Willful Blindness.”) The civilian-justice system is incapable of apprehending and neutralizing more than a fraction of the Islamic radicals who target our country. That’s not deduction - it’s empirical fact: Major terrorists such as Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed were under indictment for over a decade even as they continued to plot and execute attacks, including 9/11, with the authorities impotent to stop them.

Because of our system’s prohibitive due-process demands - demands that are reasonable for Americans accused of crimes but out of place when the “defendants” are foreign combatants - less than three dozen terrorists could be prosecuted in the eight years between the WTC bombing and the destruction of the Twin Towers. That’s fewer enemy operatives than our military often kills or captures in a single day in Afghanistan and Iraq. The trials of the Nineties, moreover, were a treasure trove for al-Qaeda, providing it with generous discovery of our national-defense secrets as well as insight into our methods and sources for obtaining them.

Worst of all, the September 10 approach was provocatively weak. It told an enemy, so committed to killing Americans that its operatives were willing to sacrifice themselves in the effort, that the world’s only superpower would respond to atrocities with subpoenas and indictments. Without the prospect of a vigorous response to acts of war, the enemy continued to attack. The result was 9/11.

McCain has learned these lessons and maintains that we must stay on offense in the war against radical Islam. That means a real war footing: military and covert operations, aggressive collection of intelligence, and Treasury tracking of terrorism finances. The justice system has a role, but it’s a subordinate one: Instead of prosecutions after Americans have been killed, it now pursues the lower-profile but more effective task of breaking up terror cells before they can attack. Although the U.S. could be hit again at any time, it says something about the success of this approach that seven years after 9/11 we have not suffered another attack on our soil.

This aggressive post-9/11 approach is what an Obama spokeswoman has called “stupid.” The candidate himself says he’s not going be “lectured” on national security by the people responsible for the Iraq war. But he might benefit from some time listening to and learning from McCain on Iraq, since McCain advocated the surge that has beaten back al-Qaeda in Iraq while Obama wanted to pull combat troops out in what would have amounted to a surrender. This is a debate McCain should welcome, and win.

[quatermass2]

"It told an enemy, so committed to killing Americans that its operatives were willing to sacrifice themselves in the effort, that the world%u2019s only superpower would respond to atrocities with subpoenas and indictments."

Yes, that **WAS** the George W. Bush approach when he got the briefing "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in U.S.", wasn''t it? And where the hell is Bin Laden now? Did we "take him out"? No, the Chimp-in-Chief is on record as saying "he''s not that important". So don''t start THAT kind of b.s. talk.

Here''s something that makes more sense:

"As President, I would make the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional, and I would make our conditions clear: Pakistan must make substantial progress in closing down the training camps, evicting foreign fighters, and preventing the Taliban from using Pakistan as a staging area for attacks in Afghanistan."

Let''s heasr more of THAT.

[taxguydave]

The conservative media likes to ignore that:

September 11, 2001, happened on Bush''s watch.

Clinton had been actively pursuing al-Qaeda, even bombing their camps.

In his first week in office, Bush rescinded Clinton''s executive order directing the CIA to find and kill Bin Laden.

Those are just a few of the highlights. Gee, it''s almost as if Bush and Cheney wanted it to happen.

[gkc99]

Sounds like more of the usual product from the Nasty Repug Orif*ce.

Probably some more of the genius of Viktor Davis Handjob.

[ubrew12]

NRO: "Without the prospect of a vigorous response to acts of war, the enemy continued to attack. The result was 9/11." During the Gulf War in ''91, the U.S. opened military bases in Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Muhammed. Al-Qaida and other muslim extremist groups IMMEDIATELY threatened consequences. Before then, the U.S. had never been attacked by Al-Qaida, but THAT was when the attacks began, and they DIDN''T stop until the U.S. closed those bases after 9-11. GW Bush stopped the attacks by CAVING to Al-Qaida''s central demand. Our killing 300,000 Iraqi''s was for another reason, one have nothing to do with prevention or terror. The NRO editors have been so 180 degrees wrong on these issues for so long, its a wonder they have the chutzpah to keep publishing.

[zendigity]

Why is it the GOP continues to use fear as a weapon to control the people...let''s put things into perspective for just a moment.

Sure, Sept. 11 was terrible, but quite honestly more Americans have died fighting the war on terror than they did that day...more than that, every year more American''s die from:
Car Accidents
Heart Attacks
Cancer
DWI
Mother Nature

Stop with the fear mongering...these old Nazi tricks only work on the ignorant and stupid.

[it_oldtimer]

In the USA:

More people die of starvation than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die for lack of adequate health care than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die of spousal abuse than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die of prescription drug abuse than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die in car accidents than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die alcohol-related deaths than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan than die in terrorist attacks.

More people die trying to cross the street than die in terrorist attacks.

I could go on and on and on, but the point should be clear enough: just about anything you care to name takes more lives than terrorist attacks ever have, or ever will.

[it_oldtimer]

So what should our top priorities REALLY be? Terrorism is waaaaaaaay down on the list somewhere, statistically speaking.

Many neo-cons claim that the statistics below are only true because of all the massive government expansion and spending now devoted to fight terrorists. If that were true, those "success stories" would be trumpeted all over the press -- but the sad truth is, for all the money spent, there simply have been no victories to crow about. Nobody seems to be finding any terrorists to arrest or thwart.

Our borders are still as porous as a sieve. Illegals come and go as they please. The DHS is an incredibly expensive joke; they never seem to catch anybody doing anything wrong - their only function seems to be driving commercial airline customers away. You can hardly blame them for not catching any terrorists though, if there are actually none available to be caught.

So, take the number of terrorists apprehended, and evil plots thwarted, plus the number of successful attacks since 9/11, of course, and what have you got?

You have a clear picture of how the neocons have taken one single very lucky attack and blown it up into a never-ending global war, which is exactly what they''re hoping for.

I, for one, am just not buying it anymore.

[joyous88]

we should all have a Sept 10th mindset,

the other one is insane, insane mcSAME

[andor3]

just more of the usual NRO blather: continue to do what fails, because it is embarrassing to admit you could do better if you change. And deny the power of the fundamental principles that made America great.

These people ultimately want to weaken America and surrender our freedoms.

[tbweb]

The scandal ridden sorry performance, some would even say disgraceful performance of Republicans during the last 7 years who at one point controlled all branches of Government have only themselves to blame for the success of a relatively unknown first term Senator from Illinois that hardly many Americans even know or heard of but don''t seem to care! The fact that Americans can get this excited about an inexperienced unknown like Senator Obama and give him millions of dollars to boot in record contributions is an indictment against the bad taste Republicans have left in so many American mouths. Sen. Obama''s success has more to do with what Republicans have done wrong for the past 7 years than it does with what Sen. Obama has done right!

[juliemd]

What a bunch of B.S. I''m still not sure why this National Review propaganda is on the CBS website...trying to be balanced??? Try again, with something of substance...

[talkingham]

The "Editors" wrote this stupid piece and were so ashamed no one would claim individual credit. Guess it takes a village of idiots to write an article this stupid.

We all know 911 casts doubt on all human knowledge before that date which Bush and his cronies ALLOWED to happen. I remember in July before 911 there was all this chatter about possible terrorist attacks in the media. What did bush and his FBI do. Nothing. Reports from field agents about mysterious flight training efforts by numerous "terrorists" were "not passed up the chain" from the field agents. Absurd.

No air cover over the Pentagon 20 minutes after the 2nd flight hits the trade towers. Absurd!

In fact, no real air cover at all on the East coast that day. Who was minding the store? Bush''s Saudi buddies and their favorite son Bin Laden.

If what the President has had since 911 is a post 911 mind set, then we need a new mind set. He can go back to reading my pet goat.

[joyous88]

the republicon party has become the fascist party of

the american nazi, they are nothing but corporatists

they have actually become Anti American

[bluestardad]

NRO
HOW MANY OF YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYED AIPAC MEMBERS EVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY OR EVER BEEN IN WAR!

HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE MONEY OFF THE IRAQ WAR OR KEEPING AMERICA MIRED IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR THE LAST 65 YEARS?!

HOW MANY OF YOU OR YOUR EMPLOYEES MAKE MONEY OFF THE 30 BILLION ISRAEL GETS IN AID FROM AMERICA EACH YEAR?

TRUTH IS THAT YOU ARE SCARED TO DEATH OF OBAMA CAUSE YOUR LOBBY GROUP CANT BUY HIM HE WONT HAVE RELATIONS WITH YOUR WOMEN AND HE IS UNTOUCHABLE BY YOU!

[bill1fj]

Obama has done nothing, except talk.
In the IL state government, and in the U.S. Senate, he did nothing but talk.
I would have voted for Hilary but not for Obama.
Maybe next time around if he has done something by then I would vote for him but not this year.
I may have to sit out this election or vote for a non major candidate for the first time in over 30 years.
Do something besides talk Obama.

[jeffstersf]

More National Review spew. Bush''s ineptitude and disbelief that we were at risk from terrorist attack, yes all the way up to September 10, allowed September 11 to occur. Obama is the man to fix this mess!

[Razzl]

There isn''t any reason why the "unlawful combatants couldn''t have been put expeditiously through some due process of law compatible with the constitution and fundamental rights, except that the vice president and secretary of defense wanted to carry out illegal acts of torture against them to satisfy their thirst for sadistic cruelty. Once in captivity all arguments against the detainees undergoing a fair legal process are illogical; they simply serve the neverending desire of the neocon ultrahawks to prove that their authoritarian vision of a military/industrial complex is somehow right if they can force it on us. They have no answer as to how we should prevent a corrupt regime from misusing these life-and-death powers to unjustly detain or mistreat the innocent, and, lo and behold, as they speak that is exactly what their neocon master Cheney does with his power.

All of this hawkish posturing about security is a cover for the deep desire of the neocons to run society according to their paternalistic vision without interference from legal process founded on principles they despise, but can''t admit as much out loud while waving the flag in our faces...

[inventagod2]

Yet another neocon wargasm from the hate-mongers at National Review Online.
Karl Rove, are you writing thes op-ed pieces for McSame?

[notopennshut]

I guess a 10 September mindset is always better than a pre-1975 mindset. Why would we want to go back to those days, which is what McCain is all about. He is constantly reminded that he did not tame the Vietcong''s, and is hell bent on taming someone else even to this day. Iraq will also prove that he will fail again. History will show that trying to impose our will and creating war has never benefited any one, from the crusades through world wars and up to now. We should focus on strengthening ourselves and our country and not waste all our resources on taming others.

[ubrew12]

NRO: "McCain has learned these lessons and maintains that we must stay on offense in the war against radical Islam."
The only war around here is NRO''s war on middle class America. Their fake-urgency about ''radical Islam'' has allowed their boy Bush to fool the American people into cheering as he doubled the national debt, and the Fed to fool the American people that house-buying money grew on trees. That spooked the global smart money into dumping dollars and investing in oil. Now middle class citizens who get paid in dollars find they are worth half as much as they were 8 years ago, while their gas and food costs twice as much. And we''re only halfway into this slide. Meanwhile, Americans now owe $10 trillion in Reagan/Bush debt, with another $3 trillion IOU coming for Iraq, on the eve of the Boomer retirement and the taxing of our SocSec system by many trillions of dollars.

There''s a war on, alright. And traitors like NRO are coming very close to winning it!

[afmca]

The Repubs and their media propagandists need to keep playing the fear game so the money continues to roll into the coffers of the military industrial complex. War has also been very good to Big Oil and the energy companies. War is the only way American corporations can make money.

If the war was to go away today the surplus would make universal health care affordable, we could have real middle class tax breaks, we could invest in alternate energy sources, we could start to clean up the environment, and we could educate, feed, and house our population. But NONE of that matters to the Repubs and Big Business - they are hooked on the blood money that feeds their greed.

Terrorism has been around forever. What Bush has exploited is that he finally got one that was not European or American based .. it is so much easier to fuel the hate of Islamic Arabs than western looking Christians to the Republican base.

[aakalan]

NRO has finally done it.

They''ve gone so far over the line in their bloodlust and a love of torture so intense that it borders on S&M, that they have finally tilted into the abyss of the ridiculous.

No one with a brain can take this propaganda seriously.

These people should be jailed. Them, and people like them are nothing less than war criminals. I can''t believe that the Free Speech provision of the First Amendment allows these jackasses to incite the abrogation of the very same Constitution.

Oh well, another lost minute-and-a-half.

[shingles1]

NRO''s Editors write:

''Major terrorists such as Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed were under indictment for over a decade even as they continued to plot and execute attacks, including 9/11, with the authorities impotent to stop them.''

As opposed to today, in which our steely and manly fearless leader Bush tracked down Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri and personally killed them with his two bare hands.

Oh, wait a minute - that''s not what happened!
Instead, thanks to the decision to invade the wrong country these two mass murderers are STILL free to continue to plot and execute attacks.

From William Buckley to these clowns - how the mighty have fallen.

[sparks224]

The NRO is RWN (Right Wing Noise).

[dan9111]

I would never vote for Obama. But think about this important point. Who actually holds the gun to our heads and is stealing our money? Today it is the war hawks.

The Democrats are certainly capable of carrying out evil, using government guns to coerce funding for sick liberal projects. But what exactly is the difference between the war hawks and the terrorists? Let us notice two things:

1. Both will violently attack Americans who disagree with them. They escalate their actions, to murder if necessary, whenever they cannot get what they want. It the war hawks'' case, it is our money they need. Both are proven to murder to get their way. There is no denying it.

2. If either one is "morally right" in their cause, why don''t they, from now on, put down the guns aimed at Americans citizens?

Maybe Iraq war was a good idea? But with the guns at our heads (and not just at the terrorists) there is a more obvious act of violence. The Republican pretend their action is advocacy of necessary war. Instead, it is simply armed robbery and murder.

[sparks224]

This article says more about the NRO (and CBS) than it does about Obama.

[stopkidding]

You got that right, Sparks. Remember the good old days when being a conservative meant cleaving to a respect for the rule of law? I know, the memories are fading fast.

[irliberal]

How PAINFUL it must be for the writers at NRO to support McSame. I mean, they wouldn''t do it in a million years if they had any other horse to root for. But they don''t. All their horses died in the starting gates.

And if that wasn''t funny enough...

...they actually believe he has the ability to win! LOL!!!!! Now THAT is rich! 8-)

[jimbo554]

One can only wonder when CBS is going to start featuring articles from The National Inquirer.

They always pick commentary from the extreme positions. No wonder this country is so divided; division is all we''re exposed to anymore.

[joyous88]

One more piece of propaganda from the NRO and CBS,

whaat happened to real unbiased news in our country?

Oh yes! I remember now,some morons voted for GW Bush and for people like McBushCain, and we got the government that we deserve,

America ruled by the fascist right, news is all propaganda now days

[doctor--o]

The only thing that changed on September 11, 2001 is the US response to Islamic extremist terrorists. The amazing story of how a few hundred thousand dollars, a handful of kooks, and completely incompetent American government can deplete the US treasury, screw up global stability, ruin the US economy, and on and on. It''s fools like Bush et. al., the NRO and FOX propaganda morons that are utterly blind to the destruction they continue to perpetuate on the USA and the world

[dudeky]

OK HERE IT GOES....WE NEED TO DO LIKE THE OTHER PERSON SAYS AND DO A WRITE IN VOTE FOR HILLARY IN NOV...YES OUR VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD AND WE NEED TO HAVE OUR VOTE COUNT....
WE ALSO NEED TO NOT LET THIS OBAMA PERSON IN OFFICE BECAUSE IF YOU LISTEN IN CHURCH..... WE ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN OVER FROM THESE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES FROM WITH-IN OUR OWN GOVERNMENT AND WHAT BETTER WAY THAN TO BE THE PRESIDENT??? WE HAVE ALREADY HAD ONE MAN (IF YOU CAN CALL HIM THAT) THINK HE IS GOD AND NO ONE COULD STOP HIM FOR 8 YEARS ...SO BY ALL MEANS LETS PUT IN ANOTHER ONE... WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP HIM EITHER IF HE GETS ALL HIS PEOPLE OVER HERE.. WE DO NOT NEED OBAMA TO WIN AND HIS WIFE WHO DOES NOT EVEN LIKE BEING AN AMERICAN....THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH SO LETS GET REAL PEOPLE.......