UNITED NATIONS
— The Californian-turned Taliban John "Johnny" Walker emerges as a kind of poster boy for the bizarre Bay Area culture and its left wing disciples of "do your own thing." That he is a confused young man gone astray in the wilds of Afghanistan remains a distinct understatement but that in itself is not an alibi for his actions nor intents.
Walker grew up in, may we say a culture, (as did his parents) which encouraged finding your own path and doing your own thing. Fine.
But going beyond the moral relativism and culturally sensitive gobbledegook of this alternative milieu, these types often say "it's ok, man, providing nobody else gets hurt." Well that's where he crossed the line in the sand.
Being weird and goofy, is oft the norm — I recall being in Berkeley a few years ago where there are numbers of ageing hippies along Telegraph Blvd who are probably still certain they are opposing the Vietnam War. One feels sad for these types. Being a counter-culture creep is oft an end in itself. In the goo-goo weltanschauung of the Bay Area, (thankfully only a small part of northern California) one can presume many things and still be surprised by sheer stupidity. Whether he is misguided (as President Bush hints) or mendacious is not the issue as much as he should be responsible for his actions. Period.
Finding his way from upscale Marin Country, California to impoverished Afghanistan, following the "Green" path of Islam, and ultimately being lured into Islamic fundamentalism is not a crime. Living among the Taliban is not a crime either. Being part of a vile regime which has persecuted women, blown up ancient Buddhist statues, burned books, and acted the role of latter day barbarians is not a crime against America. In essence "going native" in the hills of Afghanistan remains a choice not a crime, though I would seriously question judgement and motives.
HOWEVER. Serving the in the armed forces of that regime crosses the line. And one presumes he must have taken an oath of allegiance to the recently toppled Taliban "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." He was captured after taking part in a prison riot in which an American CIA officer was killed.
Johnny bin-Walker's journey took him to first to Yemen and then to Pakistan. He later slipped into the spiritual embrace of the Taliban and more ominously Al Qaida; I would presume in a slightly earlier life his path of personal discovery may have taken him to the Andes to join the Maoist Sendero Luminoso of Peru, or as likely the Sandinistas of Nicaragua. As odious are both those movements were, they were not directly fighting Americans. In other words, if Juan Walker Rojo had chosen a comradly path as a Sandinista, he was still not fighting the USA per se.
Now about the serivce in a foreign army — even if the rabble Taliban would be considered that. Page Four of his American passport importantly states that "Serving in the Armed Forces of a foreign state," MAY lead to loss of citizenship. "Taking an oath or making a declaration to a foreign state" likewise MAY lead to loss of citizenship, equivication nonwithstanding. So logically though he is an American, he can be stripped of his citizenship and treated accordingly. I doubt the Justice Department will have the guts to do this.
Should Johnny bin-Walker "Green" get a Bay Area civil trial, be assured of a vulgar media circus with a gaggle of Gucci laweyrs in his defense invoking patriotic themes and pathetic alibis. Be assured we can find a Cub Scout photo of him doing something vaguley American that can tug on the hearts of a silly jury certain to make this appear as if Bin-Walker ventured to Afghanistan on a spiritual journey of community service.
Proving treason is exceedingly difficult and in the past century no American has been executed for it. Recall back in the 1980's the Johnny Walker "Red" family spy ring stole secrets for the Soviets, or consider the FBI's recent turncoat Hansen. Of course Walker was not a spy, and one ponders why the paranoid Taliban would not have considered this political voyeur as a CIA agent among them?
Senator John McCain suggests that Walker be brought to New York's Ground Zero as to see the carnage and havoc wrought by Al Qaida and the Bin Laden terrorists. I respectfully disagree with the Senator, as McCain presumes remorse and redemption.
The whole point of being in Al Qaida was to create carnage, not to bring health services to Afghan villages. Trying him in the USA opens a legal and political minefield which will create domestic dissent in the overall fight on terror.
Here's a better solution. As a proudly serving foreign member of Taliban, he should be subject to Afghan justice. His crimes were committed on Afghan soil, he should be declared stateless, and be subject to the justice of the new Afghan government who has much more personal experience with living under Taliban than any American would wish to have.
Having been enchanted with fundamentalist Islam, Johnny bin-Walker chose to serve the Islamic Emirate. He is now a man without a country, and he should be judged by the Afghans who endured an earthly hell under his mentor's Taliban rule. I'm certain such a fate will refocus his attention, and he will chapter and verse quote his rights as an imprisoned American to a distinctly uninterested Uzbek warder.
And may the Mournful bagpipes of the New York City Fire Depatment play in the background of this sordid saga.
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.
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