[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[House]
[Page 31839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    DECISION TO PROSECUTE GUANTANAMO BAY TERRORISTS IN NEW YORK CITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Coble) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I previously came to the well of the House to 
voice my disappointment in the then recently announced decision to 
prosecute certain Gitmo detainees, Gitmo terrorists, in New York City.
  I return today, Mr. Speaker, to reiterate my concern and 
disappointment about this ill-advised decision, which, in my opinion, 
will cause our prosecutorial ship of state to sail directly into the 
tide of procedural reefs, rocks and shoals. When ships steam near 
reefs, rocks and shoals, collisions and/or groundings become imminent, 
if not inevitable.
  The commanding officer of this ship, President Obama, and his 
executive officer for this issue, the Attorney General, should bring 
this ship about, terminate the course now pursued and formulate a 
better course that will serve good purposes. The present decision, in 
my opinion, serves no good purpose and is seriously flawed.
  My disappointment regarding this matter, Mr. Speaker, is shared by 
thousands and thousands of New Yorkers specifically and Americans 
generally. New Yorkers should not be forced to endure 9/11 yet again.
  What about the costs that will be inevitably incurred to conduct 
these prosecutions? Thousands upon thousands of dollars will be spent, 
thousands upon thousands of dollars we simply do not have.
  Mr. Speaker, furthermore, many of us fear that the decision to 
prosecute in New York City has the trappings of converting the 
courtroom into a three-ring circus to the detriment of America, public 
relations-wise. I have earnestly tried to detect something positive 
about this decision, and I have come up empty time and time again.
  I fear President Obama and Attorney General Holder are so rigidly 
inflexible in defending their decision. This aside, I respectfully urge 
them to reconsider and reexamine the decision, hopefully reject it and 
subsequently embrace a policy that is more sound and that will attract 
more support from the American people.
  This is a terrible decision, Mr. Speaker, and I hope it can be 
rectified.

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