It is a good thing that everyone was focused on the health-care disaster in the Senate last week, otherwise they might have heard about the return of 12 Gitmo detainees, or enemy combatants as I see them, to their home countries. Church lady, ‘isn’t that special?’

It certainly is in keeping with the President’s campaign promise to close Club Gitmo. So let’s see how it breaks down for the 12.

Over the weekend, four Afghan detainees were transferred to their home country. Two Somali detainees were transferred to authorities in Somaliland, the semi-autonomous northern region of Somalia. Six Yemeni detainees also were sent home.

The Justice Department said that since 2002, more than 560 detainees have departed the military prison in Cuba and 198 remain.

It looks like we’re getting down to the worst of the worst at Club Gitmo. And what an encouraging sign for the enemy.  ‘Returning’ these terrorists to these three countries, make that two countries, because Somalia isn’t recognized as a legitimate government by the U.S., but there is that ‘semi-autonomous northern region of Somalia.’

Sending this dog-squeeze back to Yemen, ‘Somaliland’ (rhymes with DisneyLand), and more than even likely Afghanistan, will create a heroes welcome in those countries and most likely be released or allowed to escape back to resume the fight against us.

The announcement came after Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., sent a request to President Obama on Friday to stop the release. The nearly 100 Yemenis remaining at the Cuba facility make up the largest group there. But releasing more detainees to Yemen is raising concerns, because of the country’s security problems and lack of resources.

“I have written you and others in your administration on three occasions imploring you to halt the release of detainees to these countries due to the deteriorating security situations and the dangerous potential for recidivism,” Wolf wrote in his letter.

Now, I don’t blame him for trying to get that trash back to where it came from. But if doing that has the potential for making us less safe, then his judgment comes to question. Maybe not from a point of view of just who’s side is he on? But from a point of view of being stricken with political correctness to the detriment of our safety? Or from the point of view of being an incredibly naive Commander In Chief?

I’m not seeing a good choice.

While we’re on the subject of the War on Terror, and how Barack Obama wants to end it. Did you hear the one about the self-described alQaeda suicide bomber from Nigeria? He’s the one that nearly brought down a jetliner a couple days ago.

Lucky for you (alQaeda), our President doesn’t take your threat seriously enough to keep you under control and behind bars. What it looks like is help is on the way.

links: US transfers 12 Gitmo detainees to home countries | AP source: US knew of terror suspect |  Administration Transfers 12 Gitmo Detainees Overseas, Despite Concerns

Here’s a fine example of how the Obama administration, under the Justice Department, is neutering Military Commission trials for terrorists.

Today, prosecutors in the Office of Military Commissions announced they intend to ask the convening authority to refer new charges under the recently-enacted Military Commissions Act of 2009 against Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi, in connection with his alleged involvement in an al Qaeda conspiracy to attack military and commercial shipping in the Port of Aden and the Strait of Hormuz.

This announcement follows the attorney general’s determination on Nov. 13, 2009, that a military commission was the appropriate forum for prosecution of al Darbi.

The prosecutors are reviewing this and other cases identified by the attorney general as appropriate for trial in a military commission and anticipate making further announcements soon.

As part of the process of moving forward with the prosecution of al Darbi, on Nov. 25, 2009, in response to a request from the prosecutors, the convening authority withdrew and dismissed without prejudice the pending charges against al Darbi. Dismissal without prejudice is a procedural action that permits new charges to be referred at a later time.

A charge is merely an accusation; an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

link: DoD Announces Military Commissions Actions

Relating to this post on giving the al-Qaeda terrorists civilian trials in New York City, Secretary Gates issues his statement. Reading between the lines, the fact that it is a joint statement that includes The White House, shows he is falling in line with his boss who likes diverse opinions as long as they are his own.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates  said . . .

Bringing terrorists to justice is an integral part of our national security. The reform of Military Commissions and today’s announcement are important steps in that direction.

Got that? Reforming Military Commissions is not to use them.

In keeping with the President’s agenda to close Guantanamo Bay, affectionately called Club Gitmo, Obama’s Atty General Eric Holder will be bringing KSM and  other prisoners who have already admitted their guilt, to New York and be given civilian trials with all the rights and privileges of regular American citizens instead of the military tribunals which are established precedent. This, after having spent $12 million at Club Gitmo constructing portable courtrooms for the military tribunals.

The purpose is not to pursue a conviction on these terrorists. They’ve admitted their guilt and have already asked to be martyred. The purpose is to put the Bush administration and the CIA on trial as an unintended (not really) consequence. Throwing a big bone to the far-left base seems more important to him than established precedent for trials of enemy combatants. More important than the families of the 3,000 people that KSM and his co-conspirators killed. And more important than the morale of those who wear the uniform to protect this country.

All this happens under the backdrop of President Obama’s inability to make a decision on what to do next in Afghanistan. It’s three months and counting.

Who is surprised about all of this? Given the contempt that the President has for the U.S. Constitution and his disdain for the military, it wouldn’t surprise me if he delegated the Commander In Chief responsibilities to a Cabinet position or a Czar. He’s apparently too busy remaking America to adequately protect it. How does Dennis Kucinich, Secretary of the Department of Peace sound?

related links:

• Portable Halls of Justice Are Rising in Guantanamo
• Please, Don’t Pet The Terrorist
• President Obama Comes Out Of The Closet
• Pics of the state of the art JTF courtrooms, JTF Guantanamo

In direct contrast (almost) to how President Obama jumped to conclusions about the Cambridge police ‘acting stupidly,’ after stating that he did not have any of the facts, last night in an interview on ABC’s World News Tonight with Jake Tapper, the President jumps to the conclusion, despite all the shooters’ history of pro-jihad activities, that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan just cracked under pressure. Under pressure? Since he had not yet been sent to the war theater what is this pressure? Pre-traumatic stress disorder?

Tapper:

Are you concerned based on what you know about the case at Fort Hood that the government was not talking to itself the way that after 9/11 we tried to ensure that it would?

Obama:

We are going to complete this investigation and we are going to take whatever steps are necessary to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again. Beyond that, I think it’s important for me to let the investigation play itself out so that we know exactly what happened, when it happened, how it happened, before — before I as president of the United States comment on it.

Tapper:

Philosophically, what separates an act of violence from an act of terrorism?

Obama:

In a country of 300 million people, uh, there are going to be acts of violence that are inexplicable, even within the extraordinary m-military that we have. Uh, and, uh, I think everybody understands how outstanding the young men and women in uniform are under the most severe stress. There are going to instances, uh, in which, uh, an individual cracks.

An individual cracks? Just ignore the radical Islamic background and contacts with the same radical Imam that two of the 9/11 terrorists followed? The very same Imam that is calling this terrorist a hero. Na, forget about that.

“It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy,” Obama said. “But this much we do know: No faith justifies these murderous and craven acts.”

It is blatantly obvious that the Commander In Chief cannot bring himself to utter the T word, terrorist, even when it hits him (Allahu Akbar) 43 times in one day.

The memorial service at Ft. Hood today was touching, moving, and appropriate. I couldn’t help but notice that there was no mention of the enemy we’re all supposed to be fighting nor some assurance that these Americans did not die in vain. But I’ll allow that maybe the memorial service wasn’t the best time to do that. BUT, the next public appearance he makes IS the right time to do just that instead of looking for excuses for why a terrorist did what he did.