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February 06, 2009
UPDATE on BHO's Order To Withdraw Charges Against USS Cole Bombing Mastermind
Obama Likely to Order Military Commission Charges Dropped Against Terrorist Suspect
ABC News has learned that on Friday, President Obama will likely order the Department of Defense's Military Commission to withdraw charges against terrorist suspect Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. The charges may later be reinstated in a military commission or pursued in a civilian court. Al-Nashiri will remain in custody.
The announcement will not be made until after President Obama meets with the families of victims of terrorist attacks on 9/11 and on the U.S.S. Cole, where he will assure them that this step is not being done to be lenient towards al-Nashiri. The move is being done to stop the continued prosecution of al-Nashiri in a court system that his administration may ultimately find illegitimate, not for any other reason, sources told ABC News.
President Obama has expressed concern about whether the military commissions set up by the Bush administration are the proper way to go forward in pursuing charges against the U.S. detainees, and on January 22 he asked all the judges supervising the trials of detainees for a continuance of 120 days, so a team of administration officials could review the best way forward.
In almost the cases, that continuance request was granted. But last week the judge supervising the al-Nashiri trial -- Army Col. James L. Pohl, the chief judge at the Guantanamo Bay war crimes court -- said he would not heed President Obama's request for a 120-day continuance, or delay, in prosecutions of terrorism suspects. Pohl called the president's request "not reasonable" and not "in the interests of justice."
The arraignment of al-Nashiri is scheduled for Monday, February 9.
The mastermind of the USS Cole bombing and other terrorist attacks, who headed al-Qaeda operations in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf states prior to his capture in November of 2002
Born in Saudi Arabia, al-Nashiri travelled to Afghanistan to participate in attacks against the Russians in the region. In 1996 he travelled to Tajikistan and then Jalalabad, where he first met Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden attempted to convince al-Nashiri to join al-Qaeda at this point, but he refused because he found the idea of swearing a loyalty oath to bin Laden to be distasteful. Still, after al-Nashiri travelled to Yemen, he began to consider committing terrorist actions against United States interests.
When he returned to Afghanistan in 1997, he again met bin Laden, but again declined to join in the terrorist group. Instead, he fought with the Taliban against the Afghan Northern Alliance. Still, he assisted in the smuggling of four anti-tank missiles into Saudi Arabia, and helped arrange for a terrorist to get a Yemeni passport. His cousin, Jihad Mohammad Ali al-Makki, was one of the suicide bombers in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya.
in 1998, al-Nashiri joined al-Qaeda, reporting directly to bin Laden. In late 1998, he conceived of a plot to attack a U.S. vessel using a boat full of explosives. Bin Laden personally approved of the plan, and provided money for it. First, al-Nashiri attempted to attack the USS The Sullivans as a part of the 2000 millennium attack plots, but the boat he used was overloaded with explosives and began to sink.
The next attempt, however, the USS Cole bombing, was successful. 17 U.S. sailors were killed, and many more were injured. This success brought him fame and respect within al-Qaeda, and al-Nashiri became the chief of operations for the Arabian Peninsula. He organized the Limburg tanker bombing in 2002, and he may have planned other attacks as well.
In November 2002, al-Nashiri was captured in the United Arab Emirates. He is currently in American military custody in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp,
The Navy has provided these names of the killed in the attack on the USS Cole:
Chief Petty Officer Richard Costelow, Morrisville, Pennsylvania.
Signalman Seaman Recruit Cheron Luis Gunn, Rex, Georgia.
Seaman James Rodrick McDaniels, Norfolk, Virginia.
Seaman Recruit Lakiba Nicole Palmer, San Diego, California.
Operations Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Lamont Saunders, Ringgold, Virginia.
Ensign Andrew Triplett, Macon, Mississippi.
Seaman Apprentice Craig Bryan Wibberley, Williamsport, Maryland.
Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class, Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Mess Management Specialist Seaman Lakeina Monique Francis, Woodleaf, North Carolina.
Information Systems Technician Seaman Timothy Lee Gauna, Rice, Texas
Engineman 2nd Class Mark Ian Nieto, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Electronics Warfare Technician 3rd Class Ronald Scott Owens, Vero Beach, Florida.
Engineman Fireman Joshua Langdon Parlett, Churchville, Maryland.
Fireman Apprentice Patrick Howard Roy, Cornwall on Hudson, New York.
Electronics Warfare Technician 2nd Class Kevin Shawn Rux, Portland, North Dakota.
Mess Management Specialist 3rd Class Ronchester Mananga Santiago, Kingsville, Texas
Fireman Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr., Rockport, Texas
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UPDATE: Late Thursday night
ABC News:Charges Withdrawn Against Alleged U.S.S. Cole Bombing Mastermind
Military Commission Charges Dropped Against Terrorist Suspect Al-Nashiri
As President Obama prepared to order the Department of Defense’s Military Commission to withdraw charges against terrorist suspect Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri on Friday afternoon, the convening authority for the Commission, Susan Crawford, withdrew the charges on her own Thursday night.
The charges were withdrawn without prejudice, meaning they later can be reinstated in a military commission or pursued in a civilian court. Al-Nashiri will remain in custody.
The original plan was for the announcement not to be made until after President Obama meets with the families of victims of terrorist attacks on 9/11 and on the U.S.S. Cole Friday afternoon, where he will assure them that this step was not done to be lenient towards al-Nashiri.
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Wild Thing's comment..........
Ayatollah Obama's first interview was with with Al Arabiya. And here, once again, Obama is putting Arabs first. No wonder VP Dick Cheney was upset and spoke out yesterday about Obama and about terrorist attacks!
This nightmare just won’t slow down. I wish Obama would take a little vacation or something. It’s absolutely amazing how much damage he can do with so little time in office.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Where does Obama plan on putting the newly captured beasts who kill our brave troops now, attack innocents and plot to destroy America ?
Thank you and God bless you for keeping us safe, Pres. George W. Bush. I fear those days are gone. Our new leader is inviting attacks.
Look at this.................
Exclusive: Gates Delays Troop Decision
Gates Delays Troop Decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan, pending The Word from The One, on what force levels, the Messiah, wants.
ABC News has learned that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has deferred a much-anticipated decision on sending additional troops into Afghanistan until President Obama decides what force levels he wants.
The news comes after an anticipated Pentagon proposal to send three additional combat brigades to Afghanistan -- or 17,000 troops, as reported by ABC News last week -- was presented to Gates for his approval this afternoon.
An element of the Pentagon troop proposal anticipated a large Marine brigade to be followed by two Army Brigade Combat Teams, including a Stryker Brigade. The top U.S. general in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, favors using the armored vehicles as a way of extending his troops' presence to remote regions of Afghanistan.
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told ABC News that he disputed the idea that today's non-decision amounted to a delay in the decision-making process.
"The decision-making process is still ongoing,” Morrell said. “I wouldn't characterize it as a delay. There is no prescribed timeline for the commander in chief to make decisions about adding more forces to Afghanistan in the near term, and that decision, whenever it comes, does not hinge on the completion of the Afghan strategy review."
Gates told Congress last week that if Obama were to decide in favor of sending the additional brigades, he anticipated that "we could have two of those brigades there probably by late spring, and potentially a third by mid-summer."
In addition, the Obama administration currently is awaiting the completion of ongoing strategy reviews for Afghanistan.
Those include a recommendation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, another from Gen. David Petraeus, who heads Central Command, and another from Richard Holbrooke, Obama's civilian envoy to Afghanistan. The reviews were begun under the Bush administration last fall.
Posted by Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 04:50 AM
Comments
Can we say "ya'll been shnookered"? Why, yes, I believe we can.
I know the mother of a Sailor who was just on the USS Cole's last deployment (or whatever the Navy calls it) and when they came into the port near Yemen, not one sailor got off the ship. Now why do you think that is?
Our new president/boy king is an...hell, I can't even think of the right word to fully describe what I think of him.
And the thought of Osama bin Laden, et al, sitting in a cave laughing their asses off at the US, just makes Blood shoot out of my eyes. (*as Glenn Beck says)
And we thought Kerry was a flip-flopper...
Posted by: yankeemom at February 6, 2009 08:40 AM
Anyone out there listening to this. Anyone hear what's going on. Is anyone paying attention. Or are they just basking in the anticipation of a new era of Socialism.
I am dreading tomorrow, for fear of what this Idiot will do next. Clinton wasn't this bad. And I can't believe I just said that.
Posted by: Mark at February 6, 2009 10:12 AM
Obama and his crew are not worldly statesmen or strategists. They are neighborhood thugs and criminals. They are more used to shakedowns and tax evasion.
Posted by: TomR at February 6, 2009 10:45 AM
Attention Lee Harvey Oswald, your country needs you.
Posted by: cuchieddie at February 6, 2009 11:22 AM
Susan Crawford and "O" should be made to stand in front of the families of those that died on the Cole and explain why they are dropping charges against a know terrorist and murderer!!
I would love to hear how he and Crawford plan to explain to the familis of those lost during the Cole incident why they want to let this scum bag go!!!
Oh wait........Glenn Beck is planning on interviewing the Commander of the Cole tonight AFTER the Commander has met with "O"!!!! This ought to be interesting!!!!!! I think Glenn's show airs around 5 PM EST.
Posted by: John at February 6, 2009 11:57 AM
It used to be said that blood was thicker than water, in this case latent islamist forgiveness is exposed, Obama is forgiving a fellow muzzie for killing infidels. He's before the camera's trying to bully his spending bill through, don't forget he pledged to pour funds into Africa via the UN, most of which is muzzie.
cuchieddie - YES
Posted by: Jack at February 6, 2009 12:03 PM
So now we're holding Al-Nashiri without charges??
Wonder how long that's going to last? Probably some sheisster lawyer in court right now, pitching a Hissy Fit to have him released.
Posted by: Rick at February 6, 2009 01:13 PM
Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach!
I can't say this enough can I?
Posted by: JohnE PFC U.S. Army at February 6, 2009 01:30 PM
How's this JohnE ?
Hang em' high
Hanh em' high
Hang em' high
Right between the eyes
Right between the eyes
Right between the eyes
Posted by: cuchieddie at February 6, 2009 04:30 PM
The score two weeks into the first quarter of the Obama presidency.
TEAM: Obama/Abdal-Rahim al-Nashiri 1, TEAM: 17 USS Cole Sailors 0
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m248/Thunder-Pig/2008%20Presidential/ObamaWhiteHouse.jpg
http://www.thepeoplescube.com/images/captions/Obama_Hope_Terrorist.jpg
Posted by: Les at February 6, 2009 05:07 PM
This is no unbelievable, just unconciosnable by a POS Chicago POS. He has to go before we are all gone.
Posted by: Bob A at February 6, 2009 06:31 PM
Push him down, shove him, dump him in the dirt!
Piss in the eye of all military families will ya?
There's a lot more of us than there are of you, so you better leave this village idiot where he is--in prison. What are ya, stupid, boy? Stupid is as stupid does!
Posted by: Lynn at February 6, 2009 06:36 PM
Yankeemom, thank you so much for sharing about the mother of a Sailor who was just on the USS Cole's last deployment.
I like Becks expression for the feeling too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 06:54 PM
Mark, oh man oh man I know how you feel.
"Clinton wasn't this bad. And I can't believe I just said that.",/i>
When I go to sleep the thought keeps crossing my mind, when I wake up what the heck is going to happen tomorrow that this monster has planned to do.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 06:57 PM
Tom, exactly, they have no clue about country and safety and our military what they sacrifice and how they protect us.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:00 PM
John, thanks for the information. I got home too late to see it. I am glad he had him on his show.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:06 PM
cuchieddie, I bet his phone line is really busy right now if it could reach him.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:09 PM
Jack, DITTO that! His muzziness is pouring out from day one of his being sworn in.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:11 PM
Rick, isn't it something, yes it could be that too.
I wonder if they can still hold him on the previous charges at a later date at all. The way it looks it seems it could change too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:14 PM
JohnE PFC U.S. Army, Yesssss, I vote for that and if there can be more that would be ok too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:19 PM
Our base processes the bodies of our ultimate heroes that are enroute to their loved ones at home. BUSH and OBAMA have failed US in reference to U.S. Military Tribunals - period! Again, a least the Iraqi people tried, convicted and HUNG Saddam Hussein in less than two years!
Again, they hung the Nazis within 16 months, eh?
- US Military Urinals 2004 - 2009!
The sailors on the USS COLE died in vain....
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at February 6, 2009 07:19 PM
Les,....this is true and it speak volumes too.
"TEAM: Obama/Abdal-Rahim al-Nashiri 1"
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:20 PM
Bob A.,. I agree, the longer he is in power will destroy us completely.
I cannot believe all the bad he has done in such a short time.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:23 PM
Lynn, yess we way out number them.
Obama has put so many things in danger now, so many people with his showing how he favors these people.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 07:24 PM
It is called taqquiya [sp?] and no one - NO ONE - should be surprised. B. Hussein has no problem at all lying. Rolls of his tongue naturally and reflexively, like breathing. For those 52% who actually believed that he isn't a muslim - you deserve what you get. The rest of us, however, need to buckle down to do whatever we need to do just to protect ourselves in any way we can.
Posted by: BT in SA at February 6, 2009 08:37 PM
Darth, thank you for sharing about the base there.
Yes the Iraqi's knew what had to be done and followed it to the letter.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 11:36 PM
BT in SA, thank you and I agree so much. We told so many during the campaign how he was a liar and how Islam teaches it is ok to lie.
DITTO this big time! Well said!
"For those 52% who actually believed that he isn't a muslim - you deserve what you get."
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 6, 2009 11:41 PM
Since Obama’s earnest drive to convince the nation to weaken its economic strength through redistribution as well as weaken its national defense, has confirmed the very threats to our Republic’s survival that the Constitution was designed to avert, it no longer is sustainable for the United States Supreme Court and Military Joint Chiefs to refrain from exercising WHAT IS THEIR ABSOLUTE CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY TO DEFEND THE NATION FROM UNLAWFUL USURPATION. The questions of Obama’s Kenyan birth and his father’s Kenyan/British citizenship (admitted on his own website) have been conflated by his sustained unwillingnes to supply his long form birth certificate now under seal, and compounded by his internet posting of a discredited “after-the-fact” short form ‘certificate’. In the absence of these issues being acknowledged and addessed, IT IS MANIFEST THAT OBAMA REMAINS INELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT UNDER ARTICLE 2 OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. Being a 14th Amendment “citizen” is not sufficient. A “President” MUST BE an Article 2 “natural born citizen” AS DEFINED BY THE FRAMERS’ INTENT.
Posted by: Ted at February 7, 2009 12:11 AM
