Political Quotes

“for the past month we have debated how best to keep America safe. On one point I know all of our colleagues agree is that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed should be brought to justice. He should be prosecuted for masterminding the mass murders of almost 3,000 Americans on September 11. I know the American people and the families of those victims share that goal. Every terrorist should be held accountable for their crimes against the innocent, against our enduring freedoms, against the values that we all share. Unfortunately, due to the Supreme Court's decision in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, prosecutions of suspected terrorists like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are at a stand-still, and these prosecutions will remain at a stand-still until we act to authorize military commissions to try these suspected terrorists. In addition to halting prosecutions of suspected terrorists, the Hamdan decision has undermined effective interrogation methods employed by our intelligence community. These methods yield critical information that allows us to prevent terrorist attacks and to save innocent lives. The information provided by these enemy combatants is our primary source--our best source--of reliable intelligence. Past interrogations have guided us to the precise location of terrorists in hiding, explained how al-Qaida leaders communicate with operatives in Iraq, and identified voices in intercepted calls. Without this information, we fight a blind war.”