Posted by
Roxanna M. on Sunday, November 15, 2009 9:47:19 AM
My husband voiced a disturbing thought yesterday. What if the whole purpose of bringing KSM to New York for trial is to insure that he gets released. What if some federal judge - out to make a name for himself, write a book, get on all the Sunday talk shows, serve as a paid consultant on CNN - orders all charges dropped and KSM released because he was waterboarded under the previous administration.
Check out this video from 2006.
The PR value of such a move cannot be overstated. The in-Obama's-back-pocket media would go wild. Dimocrats in congress would not be able to contain themselves. There would be absolute nonstop vilification of George W. Bush. Somebody, somewhere would call for his arrest and trial.
Lost in all of the hoopla would be the simple fact that KSM is the admitted mastermind of 9/11, who gave up truckloads of information that saved lives. That despite this, a carefully calculcated decision was made to insure his freedom.
Considering the current occupant of the White House, is this really so far-fetched? Obama is hemorrhaging support on all sides. His poll ratings are down. Unemployment is up. Pessimism is up. Conservatives outnumber liberals 2-1. Independents are going right in droves. Two formerly democrat governorships went Republican. Republicans are ahead on nearly every issue and on generic ballots.
Obama must do something to turn that tide, and if letting KSM go free so that he can blame Bush and change the topic of discussion, he'll do it. Without batting an eye. Without a single second's hesitation. If a good and decent man - who kept us safe for 7 years - must be trashed so that Obama can save his backside, then so be it.
Of course, such a strategy is dependent on the belief that there are enough Americans out there who'll buy this. Enough Americans who aren't smart enough to know that Obama made the decision to try KSM in a civilian court, even though military tribunals were established for just this purpose. Enough Americans who aren't smart enough to know that the judge who ordered the release was looking for fame and fortune, Enough Americans who don't listen to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly.
If such a thing happens and regardless of what they say publicly, even the Left is going to be more than a little worried that it did. Even those who make a tidy living off bashing America want to be safe. They still want to live in a country where they're free to run off at the mouth and not get arrested. Regardless of what they say, you'll notice they're still here.
If such a thing happens, the immediate advantage will be Obama's. But nobody likes to be betrayed, and the long term consequences will also be Obama's.
And our's.