Obama to help pick new location for KSM trial

The Washington Post is reporting that Obama is going to involve himself with picking a location for the KSM trial: 

President Obama is planning to insert himself into the debate about where to try the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, three administration officials said Thursday, signaling a recognition that the administration had mishandled the process and triggered a political backlash.

Obama initially had asked Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to choose the site of the trial in an effort to maintain an independent Justice Department. But the White House has been taken aback by the intense criticism from political opponents and local officials of Holder's decision to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed in a civilian courtroom in New York.

Administration officials acknowledge that Holder and Obama advisers were unable to build political support for the trial. And Holder, in an interview Thursday, left open the possibility that Mohammed's trial could be switched to a military commission, although he said that is not his personal and legal preference.  

This is one of the biggest problems with this administration. They are far too concerned with politics than governing. The article makes clear that a civilian trial is Holder’s personal and legal preference, not an absolute necessity. So why go to battle over this? Since Holder now seems ambivalent about civilian trials vs. military tribunals, save everyone the grief and just have the military tribunals, unless of course, you are more concerned about the politics of backing down under opposition pressure than doing the right thing.

I just have to point out this part of the article [emphasis added, mine]: 

Administration officials said the president's involvement has to do with securing congressional funding for the costly trial before bipartisan efforts to strip financing for the case against Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators gain greater momentum. They said it was a matter of national security, not just politics. 

When will Obama finally understand that money is tight right now?  Why must he waste money we don’t have on civilian show trials?  The cost of the trials alone should have been a signal to this administration that this was the wrong way to go.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Washington Post