Political Quotes

“If I can add, let me tell the Senator about imminent threat and military law. In Iraq we had disabled terrorist insurgents. There was a big debate in the Marine Corps because under military law when a lawful combatant, a person in uniform, has been disabled and it does not present an imminent threat, we don't have the ability to shoot them. OK. The terrorists in Iraq put IEDs on wounded belligerents, unlawful enemy combatants. So the Marine Corps wrestled very long and hard with the rules of engagement. If you come upon somebody who is wounded, apparently was disabled, under what circumstances could you use lethal force because they may be booby-trapped. To the Marine Corps' credit, they came up with a balance between who we are--we just don't shoot even our enemies who are helpless and wounded--and the ability for force protection. Here is what I would say about the circumstance in question. The process of determining who an enemy combatant is has always been a military process. It is not a congressional debate. Our committees don't get a list of names and we vote on whether we think they are enemy combatants. Courts don't have trials over who is an enemy combatant. If there is a question about enemy combatant status under the Geneva Conventions, you are entitled to a single hearing officer and that is all. In World War II, there were a lot of people captured in German uniform who claimed they were made to wear the uniform by the Germans.…”