Obama to approve indefinite detention and torture of Americans
Published: 15 December, 2011, 02:28
Edited: 16 December, 2011, 20:36
Fort Bragg : US President Barack Obama delivers remarks to troops and military families at Fort Bragg, NC, December 14, 2011.(AFP Photo/Jim Watson)
TAGS: Crime, Obama, Politics, Law, USA
Less than a month after he threatened to veto terrifying legislation that would cease constitutional rights as we know it, Obama has revoked his warning and plans to authorize a bill allowing indefinite detention and torture of Americans.
After passing in the House of Representatives earlier this year, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 went before the US Senate last week, where it was met with overwhelming approval. In the days before, the Obama administration issued a policy statement on November 17 saying explicitly that the president would veto the bill, as it would challenge “the president’s critical authorities to collect intelligence incapacitate dangerous terrorists and protect the nation.”
Opposition from the White House seemed all but rampant until RT revealed earlier this week that Senator Carl Levin told lawmakers that the legislation was altered because “the administration asked us to remove the language which says that US citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section.”
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that those last minute changes yielded legislation that would “not challenge the president’s ability to collect intelligence, incapacitate dangerous terrorists and protect the American people,” and therefore “the president’s senior advisers will not recommend a veto.”
Originally the White House said that the administration objected to matters in the bill that applied to detainees. Under the act, Americans could be arrested and held indefinitely in military-run prisons and tortured without charges ever being brought forth, essentially making Guantanamo Bay a threat for every American citizen.
Under the legislation, a literal police state will be installed over the United States. Republican Congressman Ron Paul said earlier this week that “this should be the biggest news going right now,” as the legislation would allow for “literally legalizing martial law.”
“This step where they can literally arrest American citizens and put them away without trial….is arrogant and bold and dangerous,” said the congressman and potential Republican Party nominee for president.
In its threat of a veto last month, the White House said it had similar sentiments, writing in an official statement from Washington that “The Administration strongly objects to the military custody provision of section 1032, which would appear to mandate military custody for a certain class of terrorism suspects.”
“This unnecessary, untested and legally controversial restriction of the President's authority to defend the Nation from terrorist threats would tie the hands of our intelligence and law enforcement professionals,” added the White House. “Moreover, applying this military custody requirement to individuals inside the United States, as some Members of Congress have suggested is their intention, would raise serious and unsettled legal questions and would be inconsistent with the fundamental American principle that our military does not patrol our streets.”
Despite Obama’s promise from last month, a veto seemed questionable after it was revealed that the bill, which approves the budget for the Department of Defense, came at a price tag much lower than the president had asked for.
It is expected to be in Obama’s hands anytime this week.
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3 comments
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I will not vote for Obama..It would be immoral for me to do so...Him voting for this doesn't surprise me...I expected he would...His whole "08" campaign was lies..He is not who he said he was..We need a third party candidate and a serious challenge to Obama...But while we fret about the national level, and we should, look what is going on in your states...ALEC and it's big money interest are taking over..Quietly, and slowly...and do you notice? So what difference does it matter who the President is if the States and the whole of congress are puppets of the top of the top 1%?
American's are apathetic about their politics. They don't vote. They don't pay attention to politics..I can't believe how I get treated by the "everyday Joe or Jane" just bringing up a political issue...You would think I was talking about killing children...But complain about their government, well that they can do! We are the government...We put these representatives in office by voting or by dropping out and not voting.. The blame lies with ourselves and it is ourselves we must motivate , educate, and agitate to bring about a change...This government isn't afraid of it's people. Why, because we let them do whatever they want.. We haven't been fighting back..We haven't been holding them accountable..We have been re-electing them or a clone of them...I think most of the people who read articles here are concerned citizens and do vote and do want change...But I am so disappointed by the people I meet at random who still just don't give a s#^! even though they are really hurting and getting terribly workedd over...It is these people we need to reach, wake up and help them see they do have power before it is too late for all of us.









anyone involved in the drafting/signing of this horribly anti-american bill should be jailed for treason. our congress was paid by special-interest groups to sign this to law. what will it talke for people to realize WE NEED A REGIME CHANGE!!!