On the recordJanuary 21, 2010
Soon courts-martial of the three Navy SEALS accused of beating a suspected terrorist will begin. These trials and the outcomes are being followed closely by our servicemembers. There is broad concern that political correctness may be impacting the decision to accuse servicemembers of crimes stemming from the treatment of terrorists and accused terrorists. This is not acceptable. Our soldiers must be able to carry out their missions without considering the sensitivities of the ACLU. There is another group that is also following these courts-martial, the terrorists. In fact, the al Qaeda handbook specifically directs any operative who is detained to immediately claim he is tortured and mistreated. We cannot stand by and allow our warfighters to be manipulated by the enemy. When these charges are brought, many of our servicemembers elect to have civilian defense counsel, based on their level of experience and expertise, at their own expense. Even when acquitted or the charges are dropped, these servicemembers are left with significant debt. This is also unacceptable. The people who so willingly defend this country deserve the very best defense and should be acquitted or the charges dropped. It is the responsibility of our government to pay these costs. Today I am introducing a resolution to address this inequity. I will continue to fight for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, and I urge all Members of Congress to do the same.
