A federal appeals court yesterday backed the president's power to indefinitely detain a U.S. citizen captured on U.S. soil without any criminal charges, holding that such authority is vital during wartime to protect the nation from terrorist attacks.
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The 4th Circuit decision could also play a role in the debate over whom President Bush will nominate to the Supreme Court seat to be vacated by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The decision was written by Judge J. Michael Luttig, a favorite of conservative groups who is considered to be among the leading candidates for the nomination. He was joined in the ruling by judges William B. Traxler Jr. and M. Blane Michael, both Clinton administration appointees.
Future generations will mark this as a major step in the long slide toward fascism in the US. Interested observers should note that the Court does not place any limits on the President's power -- there is no reason that he could not order the detention of anyone, for any reason, any time, simply by identifying that person as detainable through a connection to terrorism. Note also the self-interest -- one of the judges should have instantly recused himself as he is a favorite for the Supreme Court spot. But we note that behaving with integrity is not a desirable trait in those who would serve the Bush Administration.
This ruling is a pestilence. Only a sick person would argue for it, and only a sick person would find in its favor.
A sad day for the United States. O my country!
I do completely agree with you. This is very pathetic, and very Bush-ist in its nature. Being of Asian origin myself, and having moved to the UK not too lang back, it is a threat that I have to be wary of at all times.
ReplyDeleteWhat I fail to understand is that the people I meet on the streets and shops , etc. are so nice and helpful, unlike the government that runs them, yet the same people manage to elect a government which is selfish and least of all 'for' the people.
The sad thing is the Bush admin.
ReplyDeletepretends to love America but flagrantly ignores the constitution whenever it suits their taste. This is one example,
another is the seperation of church and state which Bush is flagrantly violating with his 'day of prayer' for Katrina.
Congress gave him this power.
ReplyDeleteSo far he has detained exactly ONE U.S. citizen.
One or millions, I guess it's all the same.
What is the limit on this power, Red A?
ReplyDeleteThat's right. One or millions, it is all the same. There are no exceptions to the rights of citizens. Period.
funny how you do such a great job catching this stuff in the US but miss it right here in TW..
ReplyDelete"Martial law places heavy communication and travel restrictions on both Formosan and foreigners. Censorship of mail, and the prohibition of most Japanese books and magazines with political content despite the widespread pirating of other foreign books in Formosa were cited in Chapter 3. Every book leaving the island is subject to police scrutiny, and letters to or from those on the security checklist are carefully watched. Some Formosans said they were interrogated by the police after receiving mail from foreigners. When, in 1965, the Taiwan Garrison Command objected on security grounds to allowing nationals of friendly states to enter for 72 hours without a visa, the practice was rescinded. Even in 1962, the American travel editor Horace Sutton objected to entry procedures...'It took me only some 50 minutes by jet from Hong Kong to Taipei, but I spent nearly an hour's time at the airport checkpoint. The complicated procedures and lack of politeness are seldom seen elsewhere....How could you treat every tourist as an intelligence agent?'" Douglas Mendel, 1970 The Politics of Formosan Nationalismp113.
ReplyDelete