Mr. Obama is very skilled at insulating himself from political fallout. The administration claims that Obama doesn’t know what his left hand man, Eric Holder, is doing. But in the matter of Holder’s decision to bring Khalid Shaikh Mohammed to New York for a civilian trial, Obama’s fingerprints are inextricably attached.

Quite frankly the tacit decision to provide civilian trials was made by Obama himself earlier this year when he implemented his unprecedented policy of providing Miranda warnings to captured enemy combatants (or man-caused disaster makers, as Obama might call them).

Miranda rights have only one context: Civilian court.

Reading Miranda warnings to enemy combatants necessarily foresees trial in civilian court. There is absolutely no other reason for the warnings. Miranda warnings are provided by civilian police, whether state or federal, not by military officers. Military police apply UCMJ Article 31 (similar to Miranda) to military personnel. The FBI has the unfortunate task, under Obama, of mirandizing Islamist terrorists.

Mr. Obama most certainly knew civilian trials were forthcoming for terrorists captured in battle. More importantly, without Obama’s new approach to terrorism it never would have happened.

The seismic shift reflects Obama’s mindset of placing Islamic enemy combatants into the same category with common criminals. Mr. Obama apparently has something to prove to the world. For some crazy reason he actually believes the world will love him after providing civilian trials to enemy combatants hell-bent on destroying America.

Global peer pressure to appear refined and sophisticated in overseas contingency operations motivates Obama in his decision making. What he might not realize is that, while some of the world may love him, most of it may not respect America for being against her own interests.