Traitor or Victim?

[Diva]

John Walker (http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/world/dailynews/afghanistan011204_americantaliban.html) AKA Abdul Hamid, was capture along with Taliban forces.

What should he be tried for?

A Taliban soldier?
An American Traitor?
Your opinion here [ ]

[The_Roach]

He should be tried as a Taliban soldier. Treason is one of those crimes that is best reserved for people who actually have any kind of valuable information to deliver into the hands of an enemy, and then deliver said information.

[usantic]

Originally posted by TheRoach
He should be tried as a Taliban soldier. Treason is one of those crimes that is best reserved for people who actually have any kind of valuable information to deliver into the hands of an enemy, and then deliver said information.

Welcome to the forum Roach!
My question is this: How do you know he didn't provide info to the Taliban? Granted, he's just a young man. He'd make a great courier don't you think?
I say let the new Afghan gov't try him and sentence him.

[The_Roach]

I agree that it is possible that he may have obtained information that could have been used against the United States government, but as a courier he is simply relaying information from someone who more aptly fits the designation of traitor.

[Amaurote]

As a Fabian, I'd be against trying him for High Treason, mainly for pragmatic reasons: in extremis, with the USA in danger, there'd be no issue here - his actions would be imperilling the future political integrity of the US. However, this just isn't the case - the war in Afghanistan has been prosecuted with astonishing success. Why engage in a self-defeating debate on the nature of patriotism, and the priority of individual conscience over it?

The debate here shouldn't be his alleged treachery, but his probable involvement in criminal acts as a Taleban soldier. Put simply, he may well have killed foreign nationals while serving in the Taleban militia: the USA, his country of origin, is not at war with the countries of those foreign nationals; therefore, he should be subject to prosecution by international courts of law. Of course, if he's innocent, he has nothing to worry about.

I pity him, to be perfectly honest: he's a dupe, not a genocide. I'm happy to see a genocide tried for High Treason; but a dupe? I think not.

[usantic]

This man may well be a dupe, but that could work very favorably for his Taliban commanders. "Lessee mullah Omar should we send him back to the states (since mommy and daddy don't know his whereabouts) and have him strap on some C4 and let him wander around the D.C. area till he finds an appropriate target?"
Yes, this young man may be misguided or brain washed and I pity him also. He stated that the attacks in New York were justified! Is that not treachery? A person has to be held accountable for their actions. His possible delivery of information as well as a single bullet towards coalition forces would be proof to me that he shows disdain for his country and should recieve no benefit from its citizenry.

[Redallnite]

HE SHOULD JUST BE SHOT UNTIL HE IS DEAD!!!!

[The_Roach]

Woah. That's some violent thought process you've got there. Cut the guy a break. Even if tried for treason, he wouldn't recieve your penalty. Just because our national sensibilities have been threatened, doesn't mean we need to go on a witch hunt to kill every single person who might have possibly had any kind of involvement whatsoever.

Next you'll be saying that I need to be shot because I don't like the way my government continues to tax me for something that will only kill me in the long run.

[aussie]

he cant be tried for treason. That requires two witnesses to the act, they dont have them. So whats next? My bet is he will walk

[The_Roach]

He absolutely could be tried for treason. If this were a high profile enough case (which it's not) he would be tried for treason, and he would be convicted. Lack of evidence has never stopped us before, why should it now?

[Redallnite]

Somebody will shoot him if he walks, doesn't matter the man is a terrorist.;)

[The_Roach]

Is he? That's a pretty blanket statement you're throwing around. Are all Taliban members terrorists? Does association with terrorists make one a terrorist themselves?

Does this make the CIA a terrorist organization?

[usantic]

It has come out in today's press that Johnny (on the rocks)Walker was questioned just before the prison riot by Mike Spann
and another CIA operative. Spann is noted as asking Walker how he got there, who brought him there, etc. Snapping his fingers before an apparently dazed Walker and getting no response.
The operatives didn't get the chance to torture or beat this child of Islam. I'm sure they were chomping at the bit to do so since that is wholly what the CIA is all about. :rolleyes:
Do you think Johnny could have given those fellow Americans a smidge of warning? "Hey some of the other guys may have a hand grenade or two...better watch your ass."
Or perhaps he was thinking..."you American right wing bastards will get yours, just you wait till Ahmed tosses that lil metal pine cone your way"
He betrayed Americans plain and simple.

[The_Roach]

As a nation, we betray our ideals on a daily basis. More Americans have become traitors to their nation as a result of this terrorist action than we could ever know. Our senators, our judges, our police and our president. All of them, and millions of other Americans who were willing to sacrifice some of their freedoms for the illusion of safety from terrorism.

The terrorists hate our way of life, they hate our freedom. By accepting forms of legislation such as the USA PATRIOT act, we're letting the terrorists truly win by giving away bits and pieces of our basic rights. Not everyone is a terrorist, and we need not live in fear that our next-door neighbor is building pipe bombs. Soon we will be able to expect the "Thought Police" in a rational next step towards national security.