Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that he believes “we would be better off as a nation if we could close Gitmo safely, and start a new prison,” but that it’s not like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed “robbed a liquor store,” and therefore should not receive a civilian trial.
Graham, appearing on Face The Nation yesterday, said: “Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, if he’s not enemy combatant, who would be?”
“I don’t believe Khalid Sheikh Mohammed robbed a liquor store. He’s the mastermind of 9/11,” Graham continued.
“I have a lot of faith in the military legal system,” he added. “We’ve got 50 people at Gitmo that are too dangerous to be let go,” so “lets create a new legal system so they’ll have their day in court.”
When asked about comments that he will help Obama get the GOP votes to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay if Obama agreed to try KSM in a military tribunal, Graham responded: “Right. President Bush said we needed to close Guantanamo. Senator McCain said it’d be better to close it. I believe that.”
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