[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11442-S11443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               GUANTANAMO

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this morning, the Attorney General will 
appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an oversight hearing. 
Among other matters, he will be asked questions about the 
Administration's recent decision to voluntarily bring terrorist 
detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into the United States, including 
for purposes of civilian trial.
  I, myself, have questions for the Attorney General.
  The administration justifies sending Kahlid Sheik Mohammed and his 
fellow 9/11 plotters to civilian court, while prosecuting other foreign 
terrorists in military commissions because, it says, the former 
targeted civilians on American soil, while the latter attacked military 
targets overseas, like the warship USS Cole. I find this a truly 
troubling distinction.
  First, is that rationale not internally inconsistent and, frankly, 
disingenuous? Everyone knows the Pentagon is a military target. Indeed, 
it is our Nation's foremost military command and control installation. 
What does it say to the military families of those service men and 
women who were killed that day to ignore that Kahlid Sheik Mohammed 
attacked a military target on 9/11?
  Second, under this rationale, is the administration not telling 
terrorists that if they target defenseless U.S. civilians on our own 
soil they will get the rights and privileges of American citizens, 
whereas if they attack a military target, like the USS Cole, which can 
defend itself, they will not get these rights and privileges? Does that 
approach not reward terrorists with benefits--like potentially 
providing them access to sensitive information, and providing them a 
platform for propagandizing--for attacking civilians here in the U.S., 
rather than military targets abroad?
  In short, I think the administration has made an ill-advised decision 
by bringing foreign terrorists from Guantanamo Bay into the United 
States. There are a lot of well-known

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downsides and dangers from doing so. I have not heard of any benefit to 
us of bringing these terrorists here.
  In his testimony before the Judiciary Committee today, the Attorney 
General has the opportunity to explain the administration's decision--
something he has yet to do before the Senate.

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