If Usama bin Laden were captured today, he should be...

[0rganism]

Poll question: If Usama bin Laden were captured today, he should be...

As this was the subject of an argument in LBN, I thought it would make a pleasantly contentious poll.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. I Picked The First One, But. . .

. . .i think he would be tried at the Hague, and if found guilty of direct involvement in 9/11, tried in the U.S. too. Then he'd NEVER get out of jail. Because, if he did do it, he deserves to stay there for as long as he lives.

Now, of course, if he wasn't really directly involved, then the trial in the U.S. would be for tangential involvement in a conspiracy. The Hague sentence would probably be strong enough that such a trial would be unnecessary.
The Professor

[0rganism]

2. That's an interesting scenario

Not that I'd expect him to get out of jail if found linked to any of the many terrorist atrocities committed by Al Qaeda, anyway, but would the Hague even extradict him? I thought there was a European policy against extradicting criminals to nations that supported a death penalty? Perhaps there would be an exception in this case.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. He should be taken to NYC

Strapped to something in the middle of Times Square, and every New Yorker should be allowed one minute each to do whatever they wish.

[0rganism]

4. His body wouldn't last an hour if we followed your medieval suggestion

However, I'm glad to see you have an opinion, no matter how much I disagree with it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Oc course, that would be after

he had a fair trial.

[0rganism]

11. Really? What if he were acquitted?

Would he still be stockaded in Times Square were the evidence insufficient to render a conviction?

Where would he have his fair trial?

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. No

he should be set free.

For a fair trail, the Hague or somewhere similiar would probably be the best we can do? Of course, the trial will really take place in the court of public opinion, no matter where it takes place physically.


Edit: added response

[0rganism]

16. would Usama be extradicted to NYC from The Hague?

That's something to consider.

If he were found guilty in The Hague, he'd do his life-in-prison there, and wouldn't make any cameos in Times Square.

[laruemtt]

22. sounds good, right next to

*, cheney, et al - a group execution to free the world of this axis of evil.

[hyeary]

24. Please be serious..

I'm no fan of Cheney, obviously, but let's not be so glib as to spin ourselves too far away from reality and isolate ourselves from the people who will decide this Presidential election.

Please don't make silly comparisons like this...it cheapens arguments, attempts to muddle an issue that is crystal clear to everyone else and makes folly of our side.

[realityboy]

5. "for Al Qaeda's many international crimes"

Will his backers and collaborators in the CIA and other security services of US client states be called as witnesses and eventually be charged for aiding and abetting him?

[evil_orange_cat]

7. they should be... as well as Saddam supporters *coughRumsfeld/reaganjunta*

[0rganism]

8. Potentially. I think that's implicit.

"tried" or "put on trial" means a complete trial, as much as possible in a given venue. Any subpoenas and repercussions would be dealt with according to the jurisdiction of the court.

Of course, if you choose "summary execution", that's not really an option.

[evil_orange_cat]

6. public trial... if he was responsible for 9-11... present evidence

I'm not saying Al Qaeda wasn't responsible... but I think that the American standard of justice should be used in such a trial. If we can't prove he did it, then perhaps we should rethink our "war on terror" and shift it to a "war on America's security failures".

I don't ask for much... just proof and confirmation... and accountablility.

[0rganism]

10. "Presumed Innocent" isn't just an American standard, by the way

It's been part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since 1948.

[evil_orange_cat]

12. I didn't say it was exclusively American... it was more of a ...

... suggestion that we use our own standards of justice in bringing "terrorists" to "justice".

and I'm aware of the UDHR ;) but thanks for mentioning it.

[Pegleg Thd]

13. And bush,chaney and co.

should be tried as co-conspirators and given the same punishment.

[0rganism]

14. OK, but to me, it just seems a little bit less American day by day

American standards of justice seem to run the spectrum from special treatment for rich republicans to Gitmo for those presumed...well, a little less than innocent.

[INTELBYTES]

17. Just pop a cap in his ass!

nt

[0rganism]

18. Hmm. I don't know, seems like you're letting him off light

Although I can imagine a gunshot wound to the buttocks being painful and inconvenient for some time, it's not a kill shot.

[Blue_Chill]

19. I would demand he be brought here to the US

9/11 is his biggest act of terrorism to date and he should answer to the american people for his crimes.

[buycitgo]

20. surgically attached to Dick Cheney

[Muddleoftheroad]

21. Interrogation

He should be interrogated until we know everything of his network and his flunkies and money sources.

Then he should be tried in the U.S. His biggest crime happened here. If the Hague tried him there, it would result in the U.S. withdrawing support for a whole host of international activities in retaliation.

[radwriter0555]

23. He's been dead for 2 years, why perpetuate the bushco myth? That's

just prolonging the lies of the bush regime. What's the point?