Cowardice Wins In Khalid Sheikh Mohammad Trial

Eric Holder’s decision to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad in a military tribunal is “a victory for Congressional pandering and an embarrassment for the Obama administration, which failed to stand up to it,” the New York Times declares in a scathing editorial today. The administration’s original plan to try Mohammad in a civilian court in Manhattan would have been fitting, showing the world that “we will not allow fear of terrorism to alter our rule of law.”

“But apparently, there are many who continue to cower.” Michael Bloomberg, who originally supported the trial, caved to local businesses and "promulgated the absurd notion that security would cost $1 billion.” Congressmen railed against the trial, and eventually effectively outlawed it, banning spending to transport Guantanamo prisoners to the US. “Mr. Holder was right to sound bitter” yesterday, the paper says. But he and the Obama administration also “must shoulder some of the blame.” They barely fought for the trial they wanted. (More Eric Holder stories.)