Another Diabolical Plot Foiled

This time, the intrepid crusaders protecting our "freedom" have nabbed Rafiq Abdus Sabir, a physician from New York, who supposedly "agreed to treat al-Qaida fighters." Leaving aside the fact that, according to the Hippocratic Oath, a physician is required to treat, in the memorable phraseology of Major Kong, "ever' last one of you, regardless of your race, color, or your creed," there are other troubling details in this case. As I've mentioned in various other contexts, I'm no expert -- but this situation sounds a lot like entrapment. The FBI invented the crime here, devised the conspiracy out of thin air; and what a conspiracy it was: a doctor agreeing to treat patients. Now, this Doctor Sabir is clearly no candidate for the cast of ER. He has problems and probably objectionable politics. But like so many other "terrorism" cases, this one doesn't seem to be all that terrifying. Which Americans, precisely, was this terrorist going to kill? And which "al-Qaida fighters," precisely, was he going to treat anyway? (And, we should remember, whoever this "al-Qaida" is, it is not the same group that devised the 9/11 attacks -- but who's counting?) This whole thing is absurd. Now he faces 30 years in prison. It's no wonder that, "When the verdict was read, Sabir looked straight ahead." That little couplet sums up the options for a man who just had his life erased by the Law.

Now, I don't know which is more disturbing: this obvious case of entrapment, or the fact that a Google News search on the terms "Rafiq Abdus Sabir entrapment" comes up today with zero results.

There's your War on Terrorism on a stick.