An American in Taliban?!
Whoa! I almost lost my cookies when they showed that first video clip last night. You could immediately tell he was American...
Seems this wacko from Washington DC (ironic ain't it?) went to the middle east and then joined the Taliban because "his heart became attched to them".
He was captured by the NA and almost died in that prison uprising.
He's now in US custody. Better keep him away from me too...
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/12/03/ret.american.taliban/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN's Exclusive Report</a>
Seems this wacko from Washington DC (ironic ain't it?) went to the middle east and then joined the Taliban because "his heart became attched to them".
He was captured by the NA and almost died in that prison uprising.
He's now in US custody. Better keep him away from me too...
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/12/03/ret.american.taliban/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN's Exclusive Report</a>
Comments
It didn't seem like he went in with a hatred of America or a desire to be a terrorist or something. But I didn't see that much info about it.
Jeff
<strong>He's gonna be dead before he gets out of the hospital!</strong><hr></blockquote>
No he wont. The American SF have control of him.
<strong>Hmm, he is still a US citizen so we won't get to see him tried before a tribunal - or will we? All we have to do is revoke his citizenship (and I beleive surving in a foreign military may do that) and we can try him before a military tribunal. Hmm, I'm need to ask a lawyer friend of mine if he revoked his citizenship or not. It makes for a very interesting legal problem for all concerned - especially him.</strong><hr></blockquote>
More hysteria predicting the coming (or is here now we just don't know it) police state.
<strong>I actually had sympathy for him - it seemed like he was just some dumb guy, the kind of person who might join a cult, and then got sucked into the Taliban without really knowing what it was about.
It didn't seem like he went in with a hatred of America or a desire to be a terrorist or something. But I didn't see that much info about it.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It seems he did condone the WTC and Pentagon attacks. It's easy for fundamentalist religions to sway disenfranchised and mixed up youths. Just as it is with government propaganda. He got it both ways. Don't feel sorry for him one bit. He'll probably get off on a mental case defense...
nobody seems to think treason is a big deal anymore.
The Taliban aren't the terrorists, Al Qaeda is. Unless we can prove that he either worked for Al Qaeda or fired on U.S. troops then there's no way we can take him to trial for treason.
If whatever Afgani gov't comes forward and wants to try him (and other Taliban soldiers) for crimes against the Afgani people then they should, but I don't think there's anything the U.S. gov't can try him against.
Too bad there are no laws against being a dumb-ass.
<strong>
The Taliban aren't the terrorists, Al Qaeda is. Unless we can prove that he either worked for Al Qaeda or fired on U.S. troops then there's no way we can take him to trial for treason.
If whatever Afgani gov't comes forward and wants to try him (and other Taliban soldiers) for crimes against the Afgani people then they should, but I don't think there's anything the U.S. gov't can try him against.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
First off, you can't draw such a distinction between the Taliban and Al Qaeda. They operate hand in glove.
Secondly, if an American citizen taking up arms on foreign soil AGAINST AMERICAN TROOPS (whether or not he actually succeeded in killing any) isn't treason, I'd love to know what IS.
If he gets away with it, what's to keep someone else going to fight with them? Just because he was born in America, doesn't mean he won't be tried for treason.
<strong>The Taliban aren't the terrorists, Al Qaeda is. Unless we can prove that he either worked for Al Qaeda or fired on U.S. troops then there's no way we can take him to trial for treason. </strong><hr></blockquote>
He says he did join and/or train with Al Qaeda. He trained at camps where Osama showed up several times.
I wonder if he knew or had any hint of "something big" on the 11th?
Coming from a Berkley-like area in California, it shouldn't surprise us this kid thought he was some kind of radical crusader against the evil capitalists. Even the guy's Dad seems more sorry that his son has endured hardship in a prison, than the fact that he's a freaking traitor to his country.
Said something like "Well, I want to give my son a big hug because we miss him, and also maybe a kick in the butt because he didn't ask my permission to go to the middle east." What a fu*king numb-skull. How about "We are extremely disappointed in and embarrassed by our son's actions, and he will have to face whatever legal challenges that come on his own."
As Cartman would say, what a bunch of tree-huggin' hippie CRAP!
<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" />
The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States to consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This offence is punished with death.
<strong>Hmm, he is still a US citizen so we won't get to see him tried before a tribunal - or will we? All we have to do is revoke his citizenship (and I beleive surving in a foreign military may do that) and we can try him before a military tribunal.</strong><hr></blockquote>Actually, there's no basic principle that says military tribunals can't be used on American citizens. Bush's current order specifices only non-citizens, but that could be changed as easily as revoking his citizenship.