I'm not going to all do the legwork required to scratch up everything I've read about these guys in recent weeks, but it's a bit naive to treat these guys like a bunch of wide-eyed innocents who just happened to find themselves in Afghanistan, and then had trouble leaving.

Among other things:

Their names were found on documents in Afghanistan.

According to the prosecutor, Despite supposed financial difficulties, they seemed to have no problems getting to Pakistan and points beyond, and one who claimed a net worth of $1,000 had $6,400 in cash in a coat pocket, and had spent $89,000 at a casino.

They sent coded messages.

Again, the authorities who are being beaten mercilessly about the head and shoulders for "not connecting the dots" on September 11, are going to get nothing but abuse for connnecting the dots on these guys. When the messages the cell members were sending became intense, the FBI pulled them in rather than wait for them to do something.

It won't matter. The Left will spring to their defense. All references in the media will be to these "All American Boys," and the prosecutor's statements will fall by the wayside. In three weeks liberals will be wearing their pictures on T-shirts.

So it goes.