Rigged tribunal

Re “Judge critical of war crimes case is ousted,” May 31

The U.S. prides itself on having one of the best systems of justice in the world. Yet the military tribunals set up to try (or rather, convict) terrorists are more akin to something we would see in a Third World dictatorship.

After the alleged terrorists have been held without charge for a few years, the government has finally gotten around to trying a few of them. But when one of the handpicked military judges (no bleeding-heart liberal, I presume) has the temerity to rule that a defendant has the right to see the evidence against him, that judge is removed from the trial.

You can bet the new judge knows which way he is supposed to rule -- at least if he wants to keep his job.

Jeffrey Stewart

Eagle Rock