· Technicality applies to all 385 inmates, colonel rules
· Canadian and Bin Laden’s driver see cases dismissed
The Bush administration’s plans to bring detainees at Guantánamo Bay to trial were thrown into chaos yesterday when military judges threw out all charges against a detainee held there since he was 15 and dismissed charges against another detainee who chauffeured Osama bin Laden.
In back-to-back arraignments for the Canadian Omar Khadr and Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a Yemeni national, the US military’s cases against the alleged al-Qaida figures were dismissed because, the judges said, the government had failed to establish jurisdiction.
…
In his decision yesterday, Col Brownback said the Pentagon had merely designated Mr Khadr, a Canadian citizen facing charges of murder and terrorism, as an “enemy combatant”, not an “unlawful enemy combatant”, the term used by Congress last year in authorising the tribunals.
Methinks Col Brownback is a principled and brave man…
on the story about Alison Stokke, the high school pole vaulter who’s been made into an internet sex object: via feministing
After we posted a link to the story about Alison Stokke, the high-school track athlete who has been unwillingly turned into an internet sex object, sharp-eyed reader Evan emailed with the observation that Stokke’s father is the same guy who earlier this year defended a cop who jerked off on a stripper during a routine traffic stop. “She got what she wanted,” Al Stokke said, of the stripper. “She’s an overtly sexual person.”
The hits they keep on comin’. Stokke also defended a sheriff’s son who was convicted of participating in a videotaped gang-rape. From the OC Weekly’s account of the sentencing hearing:
The defense niceties vanished immediately. Defense lawyer Al Stokke, who replaced lead trial attorney Joseph G. Cavallo, questioned any link between the rape and the victim’s claim of mental anguish. Stokke also mocked the girl’s physical injuries, finally conceding she was unconscious but then trying to use that against her. “There’s [no pain] that is felt,” he said, “because she was unconscious.”
Funny how things change when it’s your daughter being attacked by these kinds of creeps, isn’t it, Mr. Stokke?
I’m uncomfortable with demonizing defense lawyers for their role in the way our justice system operates. Though the quotes make him sound heinous, and the crimes hi s clients committed certainly were heinous, defending his clients aggressively is exactly what he’s supposed to do. I don’t think that necessarily creates a conflict with his parenting.
I’d agree that there’s probably little conflict in his mind — since he no doubt sees his daughter as a good girl unfairly treated while those other women were sluts who got what they “asked for”.
I’m not for demonizing defense lawyers either but I can’t accept that a rigorous defense either requires or justifies leveraging the worst attitudes in society — it’s no more acceptable to use misogyny, racism, homophobia, or any form of prejudice as a defense tactic than it is as a prosecutorial one.
I can’t accept that a rigorous defense either requires or justifies leveraging the worst attitudes in society
Agreed, but we shouldn’t jump to conclusions about this attorney’s personal beliefs and parenting practices based only on the information in the postings.
I’ve said nothing about his parenting practices and won’t because I have no way to know what they are. As for the rest of it, it isn’t just based on these postings — I’ve read quite a bit of coverage of both trials and either he believes that women and girls who are sexually active and/or FWD (female while drinking) get what they deserve or he is perfectly happy to reinforce and feed off that belief. And if you go read the comments on the WaPo story about his daughter, you’ll see a lot of comments from men saying that if she didn’t want to be turned into sex fantasy, she shouldn’t have been out in public in skimpy clothes. Or to quote Al Stokke, “She got what she wanted. She’s an overtly sexual person.”
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Americans are becoming more discontented over the situation in Iraq and more unhappy with Democrats who won control of Congress last November largely because voters want to see an end to the war, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll.
Just 39 percent said they approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 44 percent in April. Approval of congressional Democrats dropped to 44 percent from 54 percent, according to the poll results.
Much of that drop was fuelled by lower approval ratings of congressional Democrats among strong opponents of the Iraq war, independents and liberal Democrats, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
In April, Americans, by a 25-point margin, trusted the Democrats over U.S. President George W. Bush to handle the situation in Iraq. In the new poll, Democrats held their advantage but only by 16 points, the Post reported.
One can only wonder when, if ever, the Dems will get the message: we all want the war to come to an end, sooner rather than later. And we’re going to remember that at the polls…
They started college just before or after the American invasion with dreams of new friends and parties, brilliant teachers and advanced degrees that would lead to stellar jobs, marriage and children. Success seemed well within their grasp.
Four years later, Iraq’s college graduates are ending their studies shattered and eager to leave the country. In interviews with more than 30 students from seven universities, all but four said they hoped to flee immediately after receiving their degrees. Many said they did not expect Iraq to stabilize for at least a decade…
…Karar Alaa, 25, a medical student at Babil University, south of Baghdad, said, “Staying here is like committing suicide.”…
The class of 2007 came of age during a transformation that according to students has harvested tragedy from seeds of hope. They are the last remnants of a middle class that has already fled by the tens of thousands. As such they embody the country’s progression from innocence to bitter wisdom amid dashed expectations and growing animosity toward the Americans.
Just another happy Iraq story brought to you by George W. Bush…
How can they ever rebuild their country if all the young people are finishing their educations and leaving?
I remember watching his speech from the UN and reading some of his speeches and thinking that at least he knows how to give a good speech with actual ideas in them as compared to our fearless leader.
Two Democrats have put forth legislation that would pre-empt California and other states from implementing Global Warming regulations.
(06-05) 04:00 PDT Washington — House Democrats, in their first draft of new energy legislation, would wipe out California’s landmark global warming law — despite their California speaker’s promises that her party would use the state as a model to combat climate change.
The legislation would pre-empt California and 11 other states from implementing laws requiring automakers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their fleets. The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from granting the states waivers to put their climate change rules into effect.
The proposal was written by Rep. Rick Boucher, a Democrat who represents a coal-producing district in southwest Virginia and chairs the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee charged with crafting climate change legislation. The full committee’s chairman, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., a longtime ally of the auto industry, also played a key role in putting together the new legislation.
It doesn’t look like this will make it out of the committee, but sheesh.
Federal District Judge Reggie B. Walton sentenced former top White House Aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby to 30 months in federal prison Tuesday morning in Washington, DC. The sentence came in spite of the pleadings of many Libby friends and associates who said his commitment to public service justified leniency. Libby will also pay a $250,000 fine, and be subject to two years of probation.
[…]
“I’ve watched these proceedings with a sense of sadness because I have the highest respect for government servants. It is important that we expect and demand a lot of people who are in those situations. They have a certain high level obligation when they occupy that situation. In this situation Libby failed to meet the bar,” the federal district judge said.
Guantánamo trials in chaos after judge throws out two cases
Methinks Col Brownback is a principled and brave man…
on the story about Alison Stokke, the high school pole vaulter who’s been made into an internet sex object: via feministing
Funny how things change when it’s your daughter being attacked by these kinds of creeps, isn’t it, Mr. Stokke?
With a father like that, she has a tough start in life.
I’m uncomfortable with demonizing defense lawyers for their role in the way our justice system operates. Though the quotes make him sound heinous, and the crimes hi s clients committed certainly were heinous, defending his clients aggressively is exactly what he’s supposed to do. I don’t think that necessarily creates a conflict with his parenting.
I’d agree that there’s probably little conflict in his mind — since he no doubt sees his daughter as a good girl unfairly treated while those other women were sluts who got what they “asked for”.
I’m not for demonizing defense lawyers either but I can’t accept that a rigorous defense either requires or justifies leveraging the worst attitudes in society — it’s no more acceptable to use misogyny, racism, homophobia, or any form of prejudice as a defense tactic than it is as a prosecutorial one.
I can’t accept that a rigorous defense either requires or justifies leveraging the worst attitudes in society
Agreed, but we shouldn’t jump to conclusions about this attorney’s personal beliefs and parenting practices based only on the information in the postings.
I’ve said nothing about his parenting practices and won’t because I have no way to know what they are. As for the rest of it, it isn’t just based on these postings — I’ve read quite a bit of coverage of both trials and either he believes that women and girls who are sexually active and/or FWD (female while drinking) get what they deserve or he is perfectly happy to reinforce and feed off that belief. And if you go read the comments on the WaPo story about his daughter, you’ll see a lot of comments from men saying that if she didn’t want to be turned into sex fantasy, she shouldn’t have been out in public in skimpy clothes. Or to quote Al Stokke, “She got what she wanted. She’s an overtly sexual person.”
Poll finds U.S. discontent over Iraq as Democrats rising
Democratic leadership; anyone home? Anyone?
One can only wonder when, if ever, the Dems will get the message: we all want the war to come to an end, sooner rather than later. And we’re going to remember that at the polls…
just can’t seem to hire men with any respect for women, can they?
with their degrees: NYT
Just another happy Iraq story brought to you by George W. Bush…
How can they ever rebuild their country if all the young people are finishing their educations and leaving?
Radical, dangerous, crazy:
I remember watching his speech from the UN and reading some of his speeches and thinking that at least he knows how to give a good speech with actual ideas in them as compared to our fearless leader.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/06/05/MNG44Q7OS01.DTL
Two Democrats have put forth legislation that would pre-empt California and other states from implementing Global Warming regulations.
It doesn’t look like this will make it out of the committee, but sheesh.
With friends likes democrats who needs enemies.
Fitz get’s his minimum…
wonder what the morning line is on BushCo™ commuting the sentence or pardoning is.
lTMF’sA
clik images for info
Wonder if you could GET anyone to take an “against”?
Be like betting on the tape delay game…. the next day.
while the stock market, in toto, has a bad take, stock in Libby’s pardon, see’s an upward trend…
like muddy said…have mercy…
lTMF’sA
clik images for info