Comments on: The FY 13 NDAA Keeps Terrorists Off U.S. Soil without Compromising Civil Liberties

By: natedogg

natedogg — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:06:18 +0000

I am happy that conservatives are taking on this cause. Civil liberties are not about right and left. I was a big critic of the Bush admin when they were suspending habeas corpus and so were libertarians within the Republican party. My take is that terrorism long predates Sep 11. It has been with us for a very long time, and we have to find ways to deal with it without sacrificing the foundational values of our country. Fear should not drive this process. Otherwise, what are we fighting to preserve?

By: avgjo

avgjo — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:06:06 +0000

our ‘representatives’ are members of a self-styled ruling class. They are people who have let their libido dominandi overwhelm them.

What’s frightening is that in some, perhaps many, aspects, they are a reflection of us.

By: expanding_man

expanding_man — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:08:14 +0000

How could any elected official object to fixing the Act with an amendment that states that United States citizens may not be detained against their will without all the rights of due process? I don’t understand it.

It won’t happen. Sad.

By: avgjo

avgjo — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:32:17 +0000

eager to ‘get something done’.

By: kralizec

kralizec — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:47:35 +0000

But I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts Harry Reid’s Senate screws this up faster than you can say “hands in the air’!

By: kralizec

kralizec — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:47:35 +0000

But I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts Harry Reid’s Senate screws this up faster than you can say “hands in the air’!

By: Dave_A

Dave_A — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:32:30 +0000

While there is historical precedent for treating Americans captured in active service of an enemy force as EPWs (the Civil War) even on US soil, I would agree that trying those captured on US soil as traitors (or lesser crimes, if we lack the 2 or more witnesses to the same act) is a better route…

EPW detention is not a punishment, it’s a method of removing surrendered enemy from the fight for the duration – and US citizens who commit treason need to be punished, not detained & protected.

Any member of an enemy force located OUTSIDE of the US, however, should be a legitimate target for any military or paramilitary force that can bring weapons to bear, citizenship not withstanding…. Like what happened to Al-Awaki – that was absolutely the right move…

We should be especially careful to make sure that any law passed on the subject extends NO protection beyond the basic rights of detainees under LOAC to enemy forces overseas, regardless of citizenship.