Mark Kukis

My chief concern regarding the trial of detainees ...

2009-05-21T19:27:21.693-07:00

My chief concern regarding the trial of detainees is a fundamental matter of finding the proper forum. While U.S. federal district courts often try cases in international litigation, including foreign claims of human rights abuses, the detainees represent unique cases, with unwieldy evidentiary and procedural problems. While I haven't seen any details of the plans, President Obama's proposed revamped military tribunals seem to strive for a good balance of fairness to the detainees against U.S. national security. In fact, they initially have the feeling of an administrative agency, albeit one fraught with profound, high-stakes issues. Or the hypothetical hybrid courts alluded to in your November article.

Unfortunately, the murders occured, at times borde...

2009-05-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the murders occured, at times bordering on genocide depending on one's definition. I state this as fact from direct observation. I used to count the bodies floating down the Diyala and Crescent River.

Is their culpability? That's a matter for another debate. Currently, I submit that the real question is what is the lesson learned? What should we be doing in the World? How much can we affect/effect other societies?

I find it ironic that some would suggest that President Obama is trying to socially re-engineer American Society, but they are more than content to try and re-engineer other societies.

Then again, I'm just a grunt that jumps outta airplanes and banged my head one too many times. What do I know?

v/r

Mike Few

Good work Mark. It is fun to watch as your invest...

2009-05-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Good work Mark. It is fun to watch as your investigation/reporting becomes finely tuned. You're almost ready to join the airborne recon :). I think the take away from Sadr's actions are that he is learning. Once, he was simply a thug, but he had a knack for survival. Now, he is learning how to evolve and adapt. Another Iraqi did that a long time ago. His name was Saddam. Sadr is not one to be taken lightly. Again, good work and keep on keeping on. Mike Few

If the Iraqi government was complicit, guilty, and...

2009-05-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

If the Iraqi government was complicit, guilty, and it surely was, then also was the government of the U.S.A. and surely U.S. military commanders in Iraq. After all, the Iraqi government was basically made into a puppet government most controlled by the U.S.

The same awfully remains too true today.

Pointing our fingers at the Iraqi government and not at the U.S. is to be refusing to take logs out of our eyes. So let's get rid of these logs.

Every serious crime due to the Iraqi government are due to the government of the U.S.A., as well as its so-called coalition allies; perhaps also to some degree the U.N., for its duty should have always been to oppose and remain totally opposed to this war, so once it was launched and G.W. Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" during Spring 2003, the U.N. should have immediately demanded for U.S. (et al) withdrawal. Instead, the U.N. is guilty for abetting the wholly criminal U.S. (et al) occupation of Iraq.

Many logs need to be taken out of many eyes, it seems!

Mike Corbeil

Trials could still happen. A recent story in the N...

2009-04-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Trials could still happen. A recent story in the NYT noted that some of the key players are worried about prosecution. That in and of itself is an step towards accountability.