Will Obama Cave to Cheney Crowd on KSM Trial?

“We are evaluating based on New York logistical and security concerns on trial in federal courts.” – Robert Gibbs to CNN (see video)

Damage done, no matter what’s decided. You simply don’t hang a question mark out there on something this emotional, especially when it’s contrary to declarations already made.

The video from CNN says it all. “Trial balloon?” Via the Washington Post:

President Obama’s advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, be prosecuted in a military tribunal, administration officials said, a step that would reverse Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.’s plan to try him in civilian court in New York City.

The Obama White House couldn’t find a strong stance if someone wrote it out for them after poll testing it. Coupled with CNN’s report that the White House briefing has been canceled, this is incompetent juggling of spastic incoherence, coupled with mind numbing, paralyzing vacillation.

Andy McCarthy is all too happy to remind everyone of the reality of Pres. Obama’s Bush-esque stance on national security:

The Washington Post article that Dan posted about last night is a head fake. President Obama is not caving on military commissions. He has already caved on them: He failed (thankfully) to abolish them, Congress enacted legislation endorsing them again in 2009, and the administration has already directed a commission trial for the Cole bombers. The real agenda here is to close Gitmo. That’s the ball to keep your eye on. …

Wonder what people will say about Rahm Emanuel after this one? If the Washington Post turns out to be correct, point goes to Mr. Emanuel. His friendship with Sen. Lindsay Graham the conduit.

As an aside, this whole thing is Art of War 101 stuff, something that everyone should agree is Mr. Emanuel’s strong suit. It seems obvious he wants to pull Obama back into the sphere of independents by offering the military tribunal to prove Obama’s not a –wait for it– lefty. As if.

Surely people can see this appearance of vacillation is politically damaging, especially after all the word fogs delivered from candidate Obama on judicial fairness. But it seems the Obama White House is intent on remaking Democrats into weaklings on national security even after it was proven Republicans can’t keep us safe. See 9/11. The “trial balloon” clearly hinting that Obama’s national security team lost out to politics.

Pres. Obama and his advisers have fumbled the ball on Gitmo, as well as the entire handling of the KSM trial. First it was in New York, then it wasn’t; beginning with a civilian trial, now rumored to be off for a military tribunal. To note, Emanuel was reportedly against the New York trial, closing of Gitmo, etc. because of political appearances if nothing else. Points to Rahm, for those counting. Just maybe all the outside caterwauling about Rahm didn’t make a dent, because it was nonsense, or even worse, made him stronger, because he knows how to keep Republicans closers to the President, which is what Obama wants (see health care). A miscalculation by the caterwauling crew.

Regardless of the end game, today’s Friday dump day chaos makes George W. Bush look like a leader. Rahm deserves to take a hit for it, but he won’t, especially if the announcement is as the Washington Post teases. Because as election season nears, Obama will be all about appearances, not what he’s actually going to do.

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