Guantanamo/Detainees
Judge Reinstates Gitmo Lawyer Fired By U.S.
Posted Apr 9, 2009 6:15 AM CST
By Molly McDonough
In a one-page ruling this week, a military judge thwarted attempts by the Pentagon to fire the lead attorney for Omar Khadr, the last western prisoner held prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.
Army Col. Patrick Parrish ruled Tuesday that the chief defense counsel for the Guantanamo war crimes trials lacked authority to dismiss Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler, the Associated Press reports.
Parrish ruled that only a judge can removed a lawyer from the tribunals.
The AP reports that the chief defense counsel, Air Force Col. Peter Masciola, said he removed Kuebler because Khadr's tribunal team was "dysfunctional." He's asked the judge to reconsider.
Kuebler told the AP, however, that his firing was related to strategy disagreements. The dispute, he said, is undermining defense efforts.
Kuebler is arguing that the Toronto-born Khadr should be returned to Canada and if tried, prosecuted under Canadian law. Khadr is accused of killing U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer of Albuquerque, N.M., in a 2002 battle in Afghanistan.
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Comments
B. McLeod
Apr 9, 2009 7:45 AM CST
This seems highly odd, and one well might ask what the penal aim of such a prosecution is thought to be. People participating in battles pretty much assume the risk of being killed. Hence, can anyone seriously believe we will “deter” enemy combatants by “trying” every captured prisoner for anyone they may have killed during a battle? This is completely nuts.
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Paul the Magyar
Apr 9, 2009 4:12 PM CST
This is not odd at all. Just as Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift wore out his welcome by doing a stellar job at Gitmo, (See http://www.seattlepi.com/national/276109_swift01.html) so has Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler.
Sure, sure, we will soon see the oh-so-predictable comment that Navy Lt. Cmdr. William Kuebler is a terrorist-loving liberal traitor—but that does not mean the whole episode does not stink to high heaven for anyone with a nose and a brain.
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Alba Etie
Apr 13, 2009 3:35 AM CST
Are we not hurting our long term interests as as a Nation by conducting these Gitmo show trials -And more importantly are we not putting US citizens ,both military & civilan at risk overseas. Its been reported that when our government inquired of the North Koreans whether or not the the two American journalists being held where okay - the DPRK spokesperson said “Hey they aren’t being treated like detainees at Gitmo ”
Lets all consider that , arguably the last bastion of Stalinist cult of personality repression is threwing Gitmo back in our face.
This is not a Left vs Right issue - this is about what is best for our national security -we most make ourselves credible before the international community again - that we do not support torture ,indeed we do protect and defend human rights.
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