The Shrub used this time-honored method of madness when he unveiled his new proposal. Even the poor little congressional assistants didn't have a snowballs chance in hell to inform their bosses what was in this proposal, the Shub's minions kept it all under wraps. The gist of it is this: to make Military "Commissions" powerful enough to try individuals that are NOT terrorist's or members of terrorist cells. To quote the WaPo article I read, this proposal would include people: "not directly involved in acts of international terrorism, according to officials familiar with the proposal."
Now, you might be asking yourself..WTF is this shit? I know I did..But this, my dear reader, is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Yes, it gets better..or worse,depending on your POV or possibly your party affliation..
"The plan, which would replace a military trial system ruled illegal by the Supreme Court in June, would also allow the secretary of defense to add crimes at will to those under the military court's jurisdiction. The two provisions would be likely to put more individuals than previously expected before military juries, officials and independent experts said."--Now, before you draw the blinds, shut off your computer and sit nervously looking towards the front door of your humble abode, let me alleviate your fears as best I can.
To paraphrase someone famous, I have heard Timothy Leary and Kurt Cobain named as authors, and frankly I don't give a shit who said it: "Just because your paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't in fact, out to get you".
I don't care if they are or aren't out to get me. I figured I would get my 15 minutes of fame, afterall, I am nothing if not a loud-mouthed broad with an evil wit and wisdom that could surely get my ass out of hot water by speaking the truth in open court for all the world to hear.
Then I read the rest of the WaPo writeup about what else is in that fucking proposal.
"Under the proposed procedures, defendants would lack rights to confront accusers, exclude hearsay accusations, or bar evidence obtained through rough or coercive interrogations. They would not be guaranteed a public or speedy trial and would lack the right to choose their military counsel, who in turn would not be guaranteed equal access to evidence held by prosecutors.
Detainees would also not be guaranteed the right to be present at their own trials, if their absence is deemed necessary to protect national security or individuals."
Bear in mind, that I almost swallowed my tongue when I saw the above quoted information in the WaPo article. This lovely piece of Big Brotha bullshit was created by "civilian political appointees". Oh yeah, thats who should be writing our rules and regulations regarding rules of law..political appointees..not lawyers or legal scholars..
After I took a double dose of the ball and chain's tranquilizers, I read on..as you should too.I hoped for a sane legal voice in this sea awash in insanity and political fucking appointees. There was a small ray of light from the military lawyers. They got all lawyer'd up and had this opinion of the Shrubs "rough draft":
"They objected in particular to the provision allowing defendants to be tried in absentia, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to describe the deliberations. Another source in contact with top military lawyers said, "Their initial impression is that the draft was unacceptable and sloppy." The source added that "it did not have enough due-process rights" and could further tarnish America's image."
I was not so worried about American's Image at this point in my reading as I was spending the rest of my natural life in America's version of Siberia for making fun of the Shrub and his minions, or taking them to task for fucking up the world for the rest of us that live here under the guise of the GWOT or Christian beliefs..to me, dear reader these two things are interchangeable. But I digress..
Surely, I mused..no one in their right..or left..mind would approve of this heinous piece of batshit. Then I found my trusty TomPaine.com newletter in my inbox. They had an OpEd about this new "fresh hell" being served us by the Shrub's minions. You can read it here.But let me give you this little observation:
It won't make you feel warm and fuzzy either my dear reader. Let me leave you with this final quote from the WaPo article. Its from John D. Hutson, the Navy's top uniformed lawyer from 1997 to 2000 and its his assessment of the "proposal":
"We know you're guilty. We can't tell you why, but there's a guy, we can't tell you who, who told us something. We can't tell you what, but you're guilty."
It puts this "proposal" in perspective doesn't it? The perspective that Big Brotha is alive and well and living at 1600 Penn. Ave. The title of the TomPaine piece:
We're All Enemy Combatants Now.
What part of Canada is the warmest? Anyone know? I do know I love the UK too..Eric Clapton was born there.Tags:War on Terror,Bush can kiss my ass,Big Brother,Bush,Military Tribunals,Civil Rights
