The Absolute Moron’s Guide to the New Military Detention Laws

[Demeter]

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01/morons-guide-to-new-detention-laws.html

While everyone was getting all gussied up for New Year's Eve on Saturday, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act, a controversial bill that the ACLU, for example, has called "a blight on his legacy" because it authorizes the indefinite military detention of American citizens. (Rupert Murdoch, however, calls Obama "very courageous.&quot We've put together this FAQ for those of you who are not just slightly uninformed about this issue, but hopelessly, embarrassingly confused...

Am I going to prison?
Probably not.
So why do I care about this?
Maybe you care about the gradual erosion of our most basic civil liberties?
Ehhh ... okay, fine.

The gist of the outcry is that Congress passed a law, which was signed by President Obama on Saturday, which authorizes the president to order the indefinite military detention of American citizens suspected of terrorism. This isn't an entirely new concept: Based on a very broad reading of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which granted the president powers in the war against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, President Bush and President Obama have claimed that they can do this already. But the new legislation explicitly codifies that interpretation into law.

Indefinite?
Yeah, can you believe it?
No, explain what indefinite is.
It means they can be held for as long as necessary, without a trial.
Aren't we doing that already at Guantanamera?
Guantanamo, yeah. But those prisoners are foreigners, often caught on the battlefield. The new law applies to American citizens taken into custody on American soil as well.
But putting terrorists in prison forever — that's a bad thing?
The whole point of our justice system is determining if someone is actually guilty of the charges against them. But in this case, the government can detain a suspect without ever having to prove their guilt.

You're soft on terror.
Let's keep this civilized.

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[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[Demeter]

2. Good morning, x!

Another day, another rage against the dying of the light...

[mdmc]

3. HOPE

you don't get detained..

[Demeter]

4. We are all at risk

You think I don't think about that, while posting here? Any kind of nail sticking up its head is asking to be pounded. And Obama's got just the hammer to use, now, and even if he doesn't, he isn't President for Life.

[unionworks]

5. K&R n/t