The English philosopher Edmund Burke once said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." When the al-Qaida terrorists carried out the Sept. 11 terror attacks, killing 3,000 people on our home soil, most Americans were behind the War on Terror. As a result, a number of captured al-Qaida prisoners were held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

We were outraged when J.D. Gordon, a retired Navy Commander and a Pentagon spokesman, reported that Gitmo detainees, many admitted co-conspirators in the 9/11 attacks, were receiving better medical treatment than our own veterans.The 150 jihadists reportedly had about 100 doctors, nurses and health care personnel at the beck and call of the terrorist thugs, a ratio of 1.5 to 1. With 267,930 VA employees serving our 9 million veterans, the ratio was 35 to 1.One anonymous official called Gitmo inmates "some of the most pampered prisoners on the planet." A good example was the $750,000 in tax dollars spent for a new soccer field.In another case a few years ago, an investigation found that Gitmo inmates were so fat that officials brought in treadmills for them. When prisoners protested because the treadmills weren't made by Muslims, but rather stamped with "made in America" logos, the machines were replaced.Gordon called on Washington leaders to refocus their priorities. He urged them to spend less time, effort and energy caring for al-Qaida and Taliban detainees and pay more attention to the care for our own veterans.The cost for this week's sentencing trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in Boston is the newest outrage. In order to save Tsarnaev from the death penalty, the defense team has provided air fare from Amsterdam for Tsarnaev's family.That flight reportedly cost taxpayers $2,500 per person; another $200 per person a night to house them at the Hampton Inn; and $100,000 for round-the-clock security.Although the lawyer fees are still unclear, one defense witness, Mark Spencer of Arsenal Consulting, charges $375 per hour, and his bill to taxpayers was $150,000.These expenses for Tsarnaev's family do not sit well with marathon survivors, including Marc Fucarile who, along with other other survivors and their families, are paying for their own parking and lunch. He was told that if the trial was moved out of state, they would have to pay for their own travel and lodging.Due process is one thing, but providing free government services and preferential treatment to those who commit violent acts of terrorism against this country is crazy, especially when the victims some who lost limbs and their families must pay their own way.By JIM ZBICKtneditor@tnonline.com