Holding 9/11 Trial in NYC Shows Obama Doesn't Get War on Terror, Giuliani Says
But trying suspect in criminal court denies him hero status, Obama backers say.
Nov. 15, 2009— -- With the Fort Hood tragedy and the president's pending Afghanistan decision rubbing American nerves raw, Attorney General Eric Holder's announcement that he intends to try alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammad in federal court in New York City -- versus at a military tribunal -- provoked harsh attacks from partisan critics.
"I think it's part of a whole package of the president not seeing the war on terror," said former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on "Fox News Sunday," who said terrorists should be tried as enemy combatants and not afforded the rights given to U.S. criminal court defendants.
"He has delayed inordinately in making this decision about the war strategy in Afghanistan," Giuliani said. "And finally, this whole thing with [alleged Fort Hood shooter] Major Hasan is another indication that he doesn't get it. He doesn't get the fact that there is an Islamic war against us."
Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., called it a "bad decision."
"To give them all of the extraordinary protections that you and I have as American citizens, and to give that to KSM, people who have mocked the American system, who want to do everything that they can do to destroy it, and now give them those extraordinary protections that we enjoy -- yes, I think that's a bad decision," Hoekstra said on CBS' "Face the Nation."
Hoekstra also questioned the president's consistency.
"He hasn't really demonstrated to us as to why some are going to go into New York and be tried there and why others are going to go through military tribunals," he told "Face the Nation." He also questioned trying suspected terrorists in an American civilian court.
Hoekstra added the trial would make New York City a target.
"I think America is at risk continually from the threat from radical jihadists. We saw it in Fort Hood 10 days ago. To now say that New York is on a list -- I think New York has been on the list ever since 2001. We know that we were attacked in 1993. We know that we were attacked in 2001. I think that al Qaida and radical jihadists, if they could attack us again in New York, they would."
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