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It is understandable that some family members of 9/11 victims were not thrilled when it was announced this week that the US had reached plea deals with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), Walid bin Attash, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi. While the Pentagon did not make the specific terms of the agreement public, the trio will plead guilty to all charges in exchange for life in prison instead of a potential death sentence.
For some families, their dissatisfaction is purely about retribution. Again, that’s understandable. Why should these three men live when their loved ones died?
For others, it’s about wanting a trial so that additional information, especially regarding Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the attacks, might come to light.
The agreement seemingly takes both off the table, so naturally there is some frustration in both camps.
And then there are congressional Republicans and other right-wing voices, who all squarely fall into the first category… because nothing says “pro life” more than wanting to execute someone.
But this isn’t about that particular hypocrisy, but rather about how the GOP will try to manufacture outrage over anything.
And, whenever there is outrage to be manufactured, you know that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) isn’t far away.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has done the unthinkable: They’ve agreed to a plea deal with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11th attacks, and two of his accomplices,” he stated.
Note the use of “Biden-Harris Administration,” by the way. If you want to know what this is about, then rest assured it’s tying the presumptive Democratic nominee to this supposed atrocity of a plea agreement.
“For more than two decades, the families of those murdered by these terrorists have waited for justice,” Johnson added. “This plea deal is a slap in the face of those families. They deserved better from the Biden-Harris Administration.”
Let’s take a closer look at this “sweetheart deal,” as Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) called the agreement (as a New Yorker, he gets a bit of a pass on this), and how it came to pass.
First of all, there is the punishment itself. Yes, the death penalty is no longer an option, but the three men will spend the rest of their lives in prison. That doesn’t sound as good as Republicans try to make it sound. It also seems to be a better outcome for all of those who want more answers… because dead men tell no tales.
Therefore, having them rot in prison is the only way you may get any intel from these men, e.g., if they want to trade information for certain perks.
In addition, some Republicans are arguing that the death penalty would serve as a deterrent for other terrorists.
“Deals like this give hope to terrorists throughout the world that America is not willing to hold the worst of the worst accountable for their wicked crimes,” argued Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Really?
The terrorists who perpetrated the 9/11 attacks, or any of the hundreds who have blown themselves up with suicide vests, don’t seem to be overly concerned with saving their own lives.
Perhaps most importantly, there are reasons why the three, especially KSM, have not seen the inside of a courtroom (or wherever a military tribunal would be held).
After all, the three men have been in US custody for more than two decades. Four different administrations, including those of Republicans George W. Bush and Donald Trump, didn’t manage to take this case to trial.
And it may not even be in the US’s interest to do so… because the torture of KSM has been well-documented.
Even in a tightly controlled tribunal, if you want justice to be done, then it matters which of the men’s statements were obtained using “enhanced interrogation methods.”
Things will almost certainly come to light that the US would rather not talk about.
In other words, by reaching a plea deal, the government has avoided a potentially embarrassing situation.
We’re not saying that’s a good thing either, but it shows why all of this hand-wringing from Republicans is, at best, disingenuous.
