Wes Vernon
The Fort Dix Six- -criminals or enemy combatants?
By Wes Vernon
As of this writing, nobody — nobody — in the mainstream media has seen fit to ask President Bush a fundamental question about the six identified "Islamic terrorists" who are accused of plotting to kill "as many soldiers as possible" at Fort Dix, New Jersey: Will they be treated as enemy combatants or are they to be allowed the luxury of this nation's criminal justice system?
In other words, are they to be treated as sworn enemies dedicated to tearing down this nation and killing Americans — or are they to be given the protections of the law afforded common thugs who were caught pulling a heist at a 7-Eleven.
This is important because it determines whether we are serious about fighting this war against Islamofascism.
President Bush declared post-9/11 that we were in a war, as opposed to being hot on the trail of nickel-and-dime criminals. By the time you read this, the president may well have spoken out and reiterated his policy of treating mass murdering enemies of this country as unequivocally enemy combatants. There is every reason to believe that remains his view in the case of the Fort Dix Six. But as of late Wednesday afternoon, there is no word of it.
For those just back from another planet, the six men were arrested while trying to buy three AK-47 automatic machine guns and four semi-automatic M-16s. They were caught in a sting operation by undercover FBI agents.
This was a "long and persistent plot" to kill American military personnel, according to the charges. It reportedly included surveillance of Fort Dix. Further, authorities say the men trained in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and distributed among themselves a video showing soldiers being killed. The U.S. Attorney in the case says the group laughed when watching a video of a U.S. Marine whose arm was shot off.
And where is Congress on this? There are indications the Democrat majority would like to see this case handled in the criminal justice system. No doubt they have the mindset of soft, life-tenured judges who would handcuff our military trying to do its job.
These are not common criminals. They wanted to kill our troops. Hello? Even the term "War on Terror" has become verboten in some Capitol Hill quarters. We are dealing with terrorists — enemies. We are at war.
During World War II, we held German prisoners of war indefinitely for the duration right here in the USA. You didn't hear anyone in Congress haranguing President Roosevelt to take due note of the Nazi soldiers' "civil liberties," or to "give them their day in court."
In wartime, you don't do that. The Fort Dix Six? Off to Gitmo with them. Locking them up and throwing away the key is at least punishment that should be meted out. If a plot to kill uniformed soldiers is not an act of war, pray tell — what is?
President Bush should stand by his firm commitment to treat enemies of this country as — well — enemies. Let the ACLU and their camp followers scream. He is commander-in-chief , and has the authority to act. The softies will scream "Impeachment!"
Let them holler.
© Wes Vernon
As of this writing, nobody — nobody — in the mainstream media has seen fit to ask President Bush a fundamental question about the six identified "Islamic terrorists" who are accused of plotting to kill "as many soldiers as possible" at Fort Dix, New Jersey: Will they be treated as enemy combatants or are they to be allowed the luxury of this nation's criminal justice system?
In other words, are they to be treated as sworn enemies dedicated to tearing down this nation and killing Americans — or are they to be given the protections of the law afforded common thugs who were caught pulling a heist at a 7-Eleven.
This is important because it determines whether we are serious about fighting this war against Islamofascism.
President Bush declared post-9/11 that we were in a war, as opposed to being hot on the trail of nickel-and-dime criminals. By the time you read this, the president may well have spoken out and reiterated his policy of treating mass murdering enemies of this country as unequivocally enemy combatants. There is every reason to believe that remains his view in the case of the Fort Dix Six. But as of late Wednesday afternoon, there is no word of it.
For those just back from another planet, the six men were arrested while trying to buy three AK-47 automatic machine guns and four semi-automatic M-16s. They were caught in a sting operation by undercover FBI agents.This was a "long and persistent plot" to kill American military personnel, according to the charges. It reportedly included surveillance of Fort Dix. Further, authorities say the men trained in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and distributed among themselves a video showing soldiers being killed. The U.S. Attorney in the case says the group laughed when watching a video of a U.S. Marine whose arm was shot off.
And where is Congress on this? There are indications the Democrat majority would like to see this case handled in the criminal justice system. No doubt they have the mindset of soft, life-tenured judges who would handcuff our military trying to do its job.
These are not common criminals. They wanted to kill our troops. Hello? Even the term "War on Terror" has become verboten in some Capitol Hill quarters. We are dealing with terrorists — enemies. We are at war.
During World War II, we held German prisoners of war indefinitely for the duration right here in the USA. You didn't hear anyone in Congress haranguing President Roosevelt to take due note of the Nazi soldiers' "civil liberties," or to "give them their day in court."
In wartime, you don't do that. The Fort Dix Six? Off to Gitmo with them. Locking them up and throwing away the key is at least punishment that should be meted out. If a plot to kill uniformed soldiers is not an act of war, pray tell — what is?President Bush should stand by his firm commitment to treat enemies of this country as — well — enemies. Let the ACLU and their camp followers scream. He is commander-in-chief , and has the authority to act. The softies will scream "Impeachment!"
Let them holler.
© Wes Vernon
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