The KSM trial

Patterico asks the million dollar question:" “If Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Is Acquitted, President Obama, Will You Release Him?”

Patterico's point is that this is essentially a show trial and that Obama will not release KSM or any other truly dangerous terrorist even if they are acquitted of charges. He also notes that Obama himself has suggested that in prior speeches:

Now, let me begin by disposing of one argument as plainly as I can: We are not going to release anyone if it would endanger our national security, nor will we release detainees within the United States who endanger the American people.

This is also the rationale behind some of the criticism of the decision to to seek prosecutions in the criminal courts; i.e. that prisoners of war should be tried by military commissions which would alleviate some of the inevitable evidentiary problems. Despite the rhetoric I think hard core lefties do realizes that crime scene preservation measures are not employed on the battlefield.

However, I am not so sure that Obama wouldn't release an acquitted terrorist. It is consistent with his performance to date. What better way to show the world how reasonable and virtuous we have become in Obamaland than to release someone of the magnitude of KSM because a jury didn't convict. Also, let us not forget that 9/11 happened in the dark days pre-Obama so we deserved it. His spiritual advisor, Rev. Wright, even said so!