The focus was on the impact of KSM’s federal court trial.  My take is that this is a highly charged issue emotionally and politically.  There are irrational and nonsensical arguments falling from the sky on this.  Let me try to articulate my own position, the one that I advanced tonight with Don Lemon on CNN’s Newsroom:

• These guys (KSM, Khallad, Ammar, and friends)  have been in limbo for years; le’s get this ball rolling.
• Holder’s probably not going to send KSM and friends to open court unless the prosecution has a sure-fire case.
• KSM is probably going to pull a Hanibal Lecter and start screwing with the whole event, but,  we’ve dealt with worse and can deal with him.
• Odds are that Bin Laden won’t even mention it – remember, the old guard views KSM as a net negative from their reputation and legacy. The only one’s heralding KSM these days are Abu Yahya al-Libi and the AQAP’s al-Wuhayshi (the new guard).
• I think it’s sketch that only half are being put up on trial in federal court and the others will remain in military tribunals.
• I do think that this will have a cathartic effect for the families and the city of NY, but there is no question that it will be painful.
• Federal court in NYC was good enough for KSM’s nephew and friends who did the 93 WTC bombings.
• Our criminal code is more than equipped to deal with crimes of war and armed insurrection against the US – suggesting that he needs the military tribunal b/c this is war is made on a faulty premise.
• I’m not worried about these guys escaping from a supermax – we’ve got a bunch of other terrorists in supermax in the US and nobody’s running rampant from those prisons.

Again, video when I can get the link.

Mark Mazzetti has a great piece in today’s NY Times that examines KSM from a bigger picture perspective.  You should check out the full-text article ……HERE

My quotes in the piece:

And the most significant terrorism trial in American history will be a grand stage for a man who describes himself as a “jackal,” consumed with a zeal for perpetual battle against the United States.“The trial will be more than just a soapbox for him,” said Jarret Brachman, author of “Global Jihadism” and a terrorism consultant to several government agencies. “It will be a chance for him to indict the entire system.”

“I’m sure he’s been waiting for this for a very long time,” Mr. Brachman added.

Some terrorism experts believe that Mr. Mohammed will always be considered too secular — and too practical — to be completely accepted by the terrorist network’s senior leaders.

“As opposed to the rest of these guys who sit around and talk, K.S.M. actually got the job done,” said Mr. Brachman, the terrorism consultant.

“That’s what set him apart, and that’s what made him so scary.”