The effort to stop the destroying our Flag....

[docbyers]

...must be a new definition of POW that I'm not aware of!

[flew-da-coup]

It will come to a head when people march on Washington and take the screwed up Supreme Court Justices out physically and lock them up. Man that would be nice.

[docbyers]

I read a statistic one time that raised my eyebrows: we have more lawyers in Boston alone than in the entire country of England...

Like the guy said, "Let's shoot all the lawyers..."  Personally, I'd start with John Edwards and work my way down from there, but I fear the Remington Arms Co. couldn't make ammo fast enough to meet my needs.

[docbyers]

Feedback is pouring in from GOP congressmen about the Supreme Court decision handed down today on the Hamdan case concerning terrorist detainees and Guantanamo Bay, which the AP reported earlier today:

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees, saying in a strong rebuke that the trials were illegal under U.S. and international law.

(Here's the deeper analysis, straight from the Court.)

Reactions appear to be mixed...

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.):

Following the July 4th recess, I will introduce legislation, in consultation with the Administration and my colleagues, that authorizes military commissions and appropriate due process procedures for trials of terrorist combatants. To keep America safe in the War on Terror, I believe we should try terrorists only before military commissions, not in our civilian courts. In response to today's Supreme Court decision, Congress should work with the President to update our laws on terrorist combatants to respond to the new threats of a post-9/11 world. Since this issue so directly impacts our national security, I will pursue the earliest possible action in the United States Senate.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (Tex.):

The Court's decision will impede our nation's ability to wage the War on Terror and reveals a frightening lack of understanding about the enemy that we face. We are fighting a transitional network of terrorists with an ideology that calls for the death of Western civilization, not an army. Congress will work with the President to reach an effective solution to this setback.

Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Jon Kyl (Ariz.) released a joint statement:

We are disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision. However, we believe the problems cited by the Court can and should be fixed.

It is inappropriate to try terrorists in civilian courts. It threatens our national security and places the safety of jurors in danger. For those reasons and others, we believe terrorists should be tried before military commissions.

In his opinion, Justice Breyer set forth the path to a solution of this problem. He wrote, "Nothing prevents the president from returning to Congress to seek the authority he believes necessary."

We intend to pursue legislation in the Senate granting the Executive Branch the authority to ensure that terrorists can be tried by competent military commissions. Working together, Congress and the administration can draft a fair, suitable, and constitutionally permissible tribunal statute.

Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), a member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Armed Services Committee's Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee:

This is a blockbuster decision, and it will take some time to determine the consequences of what the Court said today. But they've opened the door to a legislative remedy, and as Congress plays a key role in this debate, we'll work with the administration to reach a solution.

We're not talking about simple criminals—these detainees include the most violent terrorists in the world. And let's not forget who we're talking about in this particular case: Hamdan was captured in Afghanistan and is charged with delivering weapons and ammunition to al Qaeda, providing logistical support to bin Laden's bodyguards and participating in weapons training.

The Court does not call into question the U.S. government's power to detain terrorists while hostilities continue. This is critically important because we can't allow terrorists to simply return home and restart their war plans. Guantanamo will remain open so long as it is in the national security interests of the United States.

Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.):

This decision is very disappointing. We're in the middle of a war on terror and we must have the ability to try terrorists using military commissions. It would be completely inappropriate and extremely harmful to our national security if we had to try terrorists in civilian courts.

It's not exactly clear at this point what this decision will mean but it appears to lay out a path for Congress to enact legislation, authorizing military commissions to try terrorists in the future.

Folks need to understand that the Court, however misguided its decision may be, did not call into question the government's power to detain terrorists while hostilities continue. This is critically important because we can't allow terrorists to return home and resume their plan to kill Americans. Guantanamo must remain open so long as it is in the national security interests of the United States.

[PMEL_DEVIL-DOG]

You know what i really hate that is very disrespectful to the Flag? When sports stars drap the flag around them like a f-cking cape. That is a form of disrespect according to the United States Flag Manual.

[Valdic]

I agree with ya Dawg...especially when they have it draggin on the track, field, etc.

[flew-da-coup]

It is a shame that so many take our flag as a rag to be worn or used to make political statements.

[clacoste]

Well, on the positive side...

My family and I here in Perth, went to the US in June to attend my son's graduation from Quantico as a USMC Warrant Officer and catch up with other relatives in America.  My wife, an Australian citizen, was really impressed with how homes and businesses were so patriotic and flying the red-white-and blue everywhere.  Having been away for years...so was I.  Great to see...And it was quite a sight!  God bless America!

[docbyers]

My mother is here for a visit, and to help us get things organized in the new house.  She was impressed that even though we haven't unpacked half the boxes yet, the flags were the first thing to go up.  There's one on the house and one on the garage, even an Air Force flag in honor of my nephew, who has done three stints in the Iraqi sandbox...

My family is on its 3rd generation of people serving in the military, so patriotism is second-nature to us.  I was impressed at the surge of flag-flying after 9/11, and I see a lot of "stars" in the windows these days, parents of kids serving in Iraq now.  Freedom isn't free, and it's heartwarming to see that, as a country, we are still willing to pay the price, even halfway around the world.  I never got to serve in a shooting war; the Cold War was exciting enough for me.  I admire the guys and gals that put their butts on the line every day to make the world a safer place for me and my family and neighbors.  ...and I take great offense at those who would disparage their efforts on our behalf.  As a calibration tech, I was a very tiny part in the overall mission of the USAF 20 years ago, but, tiny as it was, the planes didn't fly if I didn't do my job, and I took great pride in that fact.  In a small way I defended my country, and flying the flag reminds me of the kids that took my place after I left...