Bring David Hicks home (from Guantanamo) before Christmas!

On what basis do you believe Mr. Hicks has been done an injustice? Do you believe the circumstances of his capture were fabricated? Do you believe the Military Tribunal did not hear evidence and render a just verdict?

Oh really? In what capacity do you make this assertion? "Infinitely higher..." -- what the hell does that mean? Mere hyperbole I think.

I have the impression you are from Australia, not the U.S. True?

On what basis do you believe Mr. Hicks has been done an injustice?

Do you believe the circumstances of his capture were fabricated?

you believe the Military Tribunal did not hear evidence and render a just verdict?

I hesitated to interrupt this two or three way mutually supportive conversation, but I was getting concerned about all the hyperventillation - someone might faint.

Standard terms in any plea bargain. Nothing unusual here.

Please enlighten me. What is the truth of the situation with respect to Mr Hicks?

When playing poker, if I draw four aces, I generally play them.

Please enlighten me. What is the truth of the situation with respect to Mr Hicks?

I see nothing at all on this thread about the circumstances of Hicks' capture, what he was really doing there, and what were the alternative reasons for his associations with the group with which he was fighting. Just a lot of heavy breathing and mutual reinforcement among self-righteously indignant people who appear to take it as a given that the CIA must have snatched him from his backyard barbecue.

In fact I have no gripes about this case. None at all.

Hicks was captured by our armed forces fighting on the side of our enemy, a terrorist organization which had repeatedly and seriously struck at our country.

We captured him and have held him throughout the conflict to date, and have accepted his offer of a plea bargain so he could get an early release.

Both justice and mercy have been well served.

In fact I have no gripes about this case. None at all. Hicks was captured by our armed forces fighting on the side of our enemy, a terrorist organization which had repeatedly and seriously struck at our country. We captured him and have held him throughout the conflict to date, and have accepted his offer of a plea bargain so he could get an early release.

Both justice and mercy have been well served.

Standard terms in any plea bargain. Nothing unusual here.

Georgeob1
Hicks was convicted of a crime that did not exist prior to his capture. As I see it he gave himself up, was improsoned for 5 years in maximum security and convicted of a crime he did not committ or reasonably did not know existed. The 5 years confinement does not contribute as time served.

Hicks was tried and convicted under US law for committing a crime (that did not exist) in a country where US laws are not usually recognised. Hicks was convicted of assisting residents of that country to defend themselves against an invader.

I'm not persuaded. The U.S. did not "create" al quaeda. On the contrary, it was bittterly opposed to the U,S, from its inception. Hicks was an armed member of an extra-national terrorist organization that atttacked this country repeatedly. The rest is just sophistry.

Dlowan, I think the major issue is, that Hicks was, in fact a US ally. Al Queada was created and funded by the US. It's documented fact.

That is why his case was not properly investigated, and that is why his plea-bargain was made, and accepted.

He has every right to sue the US gov for wrongful imprisonment, and compensation for criminal torture.

We haven't heard the last of this. Not by a long shot.

No, the plea bargain has destroyed those "rights", after the US's careful construction of a place outside any law failed to be proof against its own laws.

Al Quaeda was certainly funded by the US for a time, as was Saddam, at one of those times (there are many more) when the US acted on its belief that the use of terror is only wrong when others use it, and ok when it serves US interests, but I don't know that the US STARTED Al Quaeda?