You should be upset...

Something that got my goat this morning. I was watching the news this morning before I headed to the office. They were taking about the administration moving the trials of KSM (and others) to the US Federal Court in NY City. They also mention the underwear bomber having his Miranda Rights read to him.

These two events should anger every American citizen. The administration is basically giving my (our) rights to foreign enemy combatants. This would be the same as me walking into a country club – without stopping at the desk and paying a fee to use the facilities and using the tennis courts. What about walking into gym and using the equipment without a membership.

Enemy combatants do not receive any such rights as to remain silent or to have an attorney present during questioning (Miranda Rights See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_Rights#Typical_usage).

Unfortunately, the terrorist do not qualify as combatants. According to Wikipedia: “To qualify under the Third Geneva Convention, a combatant must have conducted military operations according to the laws and customs of war, be part of a chain of command, wear a "fixed distinctive marking, visible from a distance" and bear arms openly. Thus, uniforms and/or badges are important in determining prisoner-of-war status; and francs-tireurs, terrorists, saboteurs, mercenaries and spies do not qualify.” See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_war#Hague_and_Geneva_Conventions

So what should we do with the people we are holding in Gitmo? They are not by definition EPWs (Enemy Prisoner of War), nor are they US Citizens with the rights and privileges that entails. I don’t have an answer. But, all I know is that they should not receive the same rights we have…