Latest Defense Bill?

[SubGod22]

If American Is the Battlreground, Nobody Has Any Rights

Last Thursday — which happened to be the 220th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights — the Senate passed a defense bill that demonstrates just how cavalier Congress can be with our fundamental liberties.

Given the opportunity to clarify existing law and confirm that American citizens are not subject to indefinite military detention at the order of the president — Congress punted.

After a debate in which key members seriously contemplated empowering the president to "Gitmo-ize" Americans suspected of terrorist activity, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 leaves the question open. Maybe he can, maybe he can't, so let's let the courts sort it out.

It could have been even worse. An earlier version of the bill would, according to one of its cosponsors, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., have allowed the president to use the U.S. military to seize American citizens on the home front and ship them to Guantanamo.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cheered the provision, because it would "basically say in law for the first time that the homeland is part of the battlefield." He added that "I believe our military should be deeply involved in fighting these guys at home."

[60Shock]

If America Is the Battleground, Nobody Has Any Rights- This title is so misleading and is way off base as presented. What we are talking here are the rights of a hypothetically suspected American terrorist or group of terrorists for whom there is overwhelming evidence of guilt. To impy that this pertains to all the rest of us is misleading and unworthy.

United States Law Code – the law that governs the entire country – contains a definition of terrorism embedded in its requirement that Annual Country reports on Terrorism be submitted by the Secretary of State to Congress every year. (From U.S. Code Title 22, Ch.38, Para. 2656f(d)

(d) Definitions
As used in this section—
(1) the term “international terrorism” means terrorism involving citizens or the territory of more than 1 country;
(2) the term “terrorism” means premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents

As far as I am concerned, a terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist. It matters not where or whence he or she or it was born.

Any individual, foreign or domestic, for whom sufficient evidence is obtained that falls within the guidelines of para (2) above, should be treated as a military combatant, tried by a military tribunal, and if found guilty, hung out to dry.

I don't know what your experience is with military courts. I have sat on three military courts as a juror. And twice, I served as a defense attorney, although I have never had any training as a lawyer. And by the way, I won both cases and each soldier went free. In all cases, I have found the military courts to be most fair and equal to two civilian courts I have sat on as a juror as well.

[DUShock]

Not to mention "actionable" intel.

[Wu du Nord]

Is 'international terrorism' as clearly delineated as 'interstate commerce'?

When it comes to 'international' in the 21st century, policy frequently lags behind how we go about our daily lives.