Judge grants Obama request to suspend 9/11 trials

[kpete]

Source: Los Angeles Times


Judge grants Obama request to suspend 9/11 trials
Associated Press
9:39 AM PST, January 21, 2009

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE -- President Obama's request to suspend all war crimes trials at Guantanamo was promptly accepted by military judges today in what may be the beginning of the end for the Bush administration's system of trying alleged terrorists.

The judges agreed to the 120-day halt the cases of five men charged in the Sept. 11 attacks and a Canadian accused of killing an American soldier in Afghanistan. Similar orders are expected in other pending cases before the Guantanamo military commission.

The five men charged in the Sept. 11 attacks had said they wanted to plead guilty to charges that carry the potential death sentences they say could make them martyrs. The alleged ringleader, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, told the court he opposes the delay.

"We should continue so we don't go backward, we go forward," Mohammed said.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-naw-guantanamo22-2009jan...

[baldguy]

1. Bush's legacy is bleeding away.

[sasquatch]

5. Not exactly, our children will be paying off his debt I'm afraid

[No Elephants]

2. Do they have a choice about Obama's requests? He is CIC now..

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

4. This was a request, not a direct order from the Commander-in-Chief

I assume a "request" allows for some saving face within the military establishment, and that if it had not been followed, an order would have followed...

but since the request has been honored, no need to order compliance.

Good moves on the part of the President and the military, I think.

[IsItJustMe]

7. Obama was being diplomatic about it. He could have easily ordered it, but he was going through the

system. People like that when you ask them rather than order them to do something. Very smart on Obama's part. Very smart indeed.

[BlueCaliDem]

3. Bush's Reign: Death by a thousand Pres.Obama cuts. Hallelujah! n/t

[IsItJustMe]

6. Far out. I hope this would be the case. It would have been bad if Obama had to go over their heads