LeMieux: "Treat Enemy Combatants for What They Are"

Press Release

U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) asked the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, whether it makes sense to give Miranda rights to enemy combatants captured in the United States. Senator LeMieux referred specifically to the case of the Christmas Day bomber who was questioned for only 50 minutes after his arrest in Michigan before being given the same rights as a common criminal.

"We don't provide Miranda rights to enemy combatants we capture in Afghanistan or Iraq, why would we do that when we capture one on US soil? This policy doesn't make sense and it compromises our ability to gain valuable information critical to defeating terrorists," said LeMieux, the lead Republican on the Emerging Threats subcommittee.

Secretary Gates responded the Attorney General would be the best person to answer the question, but added the decision,"is a judgment best made by the chief law enforcement officer of the United States." Senator LeMieux's questions came during an open session of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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