INDIANAPOLIS, June 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's leading
veterans organization reacted to today's Supreme Court ruling that foreign
terrorists have U.S. constitutional rights. The ruling came as the result
of a challenge by detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who want hearings in
U.S. civilian courts.
"To suggest that foreign terrorists, who have never set foot in this
country and respect no civilized laws should enjoy the same rights under
our Constitution as U.S. citizens," American Legion National Commander
Marty Conatser said of today's 5-4 ruling, "must make America's founding
fathers turn over in their graves."
Conatser pointed out that The American Legion has sent delegations to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "Two American Legion past national commanders have
visited Camp Delta. They found that the detainees were humanely treated,
well-fed and provided with medical care that surpasses what many veterans
receive. We currently have a distinguished Legionnaire viewing hearings
down at Guantanamo. As the deputy commanding general of Guantanamo told our
Washington Legislative Conference, if the situation were reversed these
terrorists would define mercy as a knife blade on the back of the neck
instead of the front."
Chief Justice John Roberts dissented from the ruling. He wrote that the
United States enacted "the most generous set of procedural protections ever
afforded aliens detained by this country as enemy combatants." Justice
Antonin Scalia joined the dissent, writing that the majority's decision
"will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more
Americans to be killed."
"The Supreme Court has made its ruling," Conatser said. "It seems that
terrorists taken on foreign battlefields will now be entitled to lawyers at
taxpayers' expense and all the other rights that American citizens enjoy.
It would have been wonderful if the terrorists had treated Matt Maupin, the
U.S. soldier captured and brutally murdered in Iraq, with the same respect.
In fact, one of the men on trial, Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed is not only the
alleged mastermind of 9/11 but is widely believed to have personally
beheaded journalist Daniel Pearl."
Conatser said that The American Legion will look at various ways to
protect America within the confines of the latest Supreme Court decision.
With a current membership of 2.7-million wartime veterans, The American
Legion, http://www.legion.org, was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong
national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth
programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through
more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
Media contacts: Ramona Joyce, (202) 263-2982; Cell, (202) 445-1161; Joe
March, (317) 630-1253; or John Raughter (317) 630- 1350. This text and a
high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Conatser can be downloaded at
http://www.legion.org.
SOURCE American Legion
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Related links:
http://www.legion.org
CONTACT:
Ramona Joyce, +1-202-263-2982, cell:
+1-202-445-1161, Joe March, +1-317-630-1253, or John Raughter,
+1-317-630-1350, all of the American Legion
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