Oh, just another little war power
How comforting.In the latest twist in the debate over presidential powers, a Justice Department official suggested that in certain circumstances, the president might have the power to order the killing of terrorist suspects inside the United States.Emphasis mine. Suspects!?! They don't even qualify it as only for known terrorists. They're always talking about how they're killing suspected insurgents in Iraq. Half the time they turn out to be innocent families. Doesn't that just make you feel safer?
And what a convenient way to dispatch your political enemies. Oh well -- ya see -- I suspected he was a terrorist because he was bad mouthing the preznit, so I had to 'ssassinate him... Boggles the mind.
posted by Libby Spencer at 4:29 PM
2 Comments:
That's the real horror of all this to me, that the "terror designation" rests solely with the executive. That was a big issue in the Padilla case.
Given these powers to "go after" the terrorists, and also having the sole ability to designate who is and isn't a terrorist has already been shown.
We've seen people indicted for "eco terrorism," and the law projects "narco terrorism," but Eric Rudolph, the olympic park bomber and bomber of an abortion clinic, he's not a terrorist, he's a criminal.
And this all leaves aside the use of the designation for direct political purposes. If my criticism is "aiding the terrorists," could I be a target of these extraordinary powers?
Mike
In light of my post above this on the internment camps, I'd say we're all targets Mike.
Post a Comment
<< Home