In an open-ended war spanning the entire planet, officials have had plenty of time to make outlandish proclamations. Today, a letter (PDF) form several former security officials took a stab at being the most galling such statement so far in the war.
The letter, addressed to the House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R – CA), attacks the recent efforts by Reps. Adam Smith (D – WA) and Justin Amash (R – MI) to roll back the “indefinite detention without charges in military custody” portion of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012.
The letter argues that any change in the law that would restrict the ability of the federal government to indefinitely detain suspects without charges would amount to “rewarding terrorists” and would make terror attacks more likely. It goes on to claim that removing the law would be unconstitutional because—and get this—it would restrict the president’s ability to “fulfill his constitutional duties as commander in chief.”
Rep. Smith defended the efforts to ensure that people arrested actually eventually get to a court, saying that the letter was “disingenuous and purely political.” Though Congress cheerfully passed the NDAA by a wide margin, a massive public backlash against the law has a number of its former proponents looking for cover, and fearing that their support for indefinite detention could harm their reelection.
Looking at the list of the bozos who signed that letter it looks like something devised by our friends from aipac.
It's rather like the former heads of the NKVD/KGB writing to the Politburo, begging that the Gulag be kept open.
If this were published as satire rather than news, people would say it's too farfetched.
Protect our corporate rich from the terrorists they have plundered, while protecting us from the greedy rich, two things impossible for government to accomplish at the same time.
Outlawing indefinite detentions rewards terrorists?
WOW. Outlawing politicans like these helps freedom and rewards justice.
When did we become the USSR again?
Stalin would be proud of them!
1. "Massive public backlash" sounds like wishful thinking as it is not something that I've seen anywhere, other than from those pesky Civil Rights extremists who are easily ignored.
2. Perhaps The Onion should sue these guys.
Indefinite detention without proving charges in due process is cruel, inhumane, and a clear sign of terrorists who are in power and commit their terrorist crimes just because they happen to wield power. One day the righteous people will hang all these terrorists from the light posts.
You are either with us (in supporting indefinite detention) or you're with the terrorist (by seeking to reward them).
I think Bush Jr said something like that.
Another you're with us or against us comes from a Nazi:
"All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country." Hermann Goering
This rhetoric is Nazi tactics to get everyone goose stepping in support for tyrannical laws.
Outside of Ron Paul, the American people do not have represenitives that care about the best interest of the people, the constitution, human rights, or the rule of law. What exists currently are self serving traitors whose sole allegiance is to the corporations, pentagon, and the ever criminal AIPAC.
It rewards terrorists indeed. The terrorists in Washington, District of Crooks that is.