Saturday, December 24, 2011

Thud of the Jackboot



by ALEXANDER COCKBURN
CounterPunch

"Too bad Kim Jong-il kicked the bucket last weekend. If the divine hand that laid low the North Korean leader had held off for a week or so, Kim would have been sustained by the news that President Obama is signing into law a bill that puts the United States not immeasurably far from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in contempt of constitutional protections for its citizens, or constitutional restraints upon criminal behavior sanctioned by the state.

At least the DPRK doesn’t trumpet its status as the last best sanctuary of liberty. American politicians, starting with the president, do little else....

The detention bill mandates – don’t glide too easily past that word - that all accused terrorists be indefinitely imprisoned by the military rather than in the civilian court system [Just like the Egyptian Junta!]; this includes US citizens within the borders of the United States.....

Anyone familiar with this sort of “emergency” legislation knows that those drafting the statutes like to cast as wide a net as possible. In this instance the detention bill authorizes use of military force against anyone who “substantially supports” al-Qaeda, the Taliban or “associated forces”. Of course “associated forces” can mean anything. The bill’s language mentions “associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed a belligerent act or who has directly supported such hostilities in aid of such enemy forces.”
 
This is exactly the sort of language that can be bent at will by any prosecutor. Protest too vigorously the assassination of US citizen Anwar al Awlaki by American forces in Yemen in October and one day it’s not fanciful to expect the thud of the military jackboot on your front step, or on that of any anti-war organizer, or any journalist whom some zealous military intelligence officer deems to be giving objective support to the forces of Evil and Darkness....."

3 comments:

Unknown said...

links of london, marc jacobs, toms shoes, thomas sabo, doudoune canada goose, canada goose uk, moncler, louis vuitton, hollister, montre pas cher, sac louis vuitton pas cher, pandora charms, canada goose, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, canada goose, wedding dresses, juicy couture outlet, canada goose outlet, louis vuitton, replica watches, juicy couture outlet, moncler, swarovski crystal, bottes ugg, ugg pas cher, louis vuitton, pandora jewelry, pandora jewelry, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, pandora charms, moncler, ugg boots uk, louis vuitton, moncler, moncler, moncler, canada goose, canada goose outlet, karen millen, moncler, moncler outlet, canada goose, swarovski, coach outlet, supra shoes

Unknown said...

oakley, valentino shoes, ray ban, insanity workout, instyler, hollister, soccer shoes, nike air max, bottega veneta, converse, nike roshe, beats by dre, ralph lauren, nike trainers, louboutin, new balance, converse outlet, hollister, longchamp, north face outlet, soccer jerseys, birkin bag, nike air max, lululemon, asics running shoes, lancel, ghd, mcm handbags, chi flat iron, abercrombie and fitch, hollister, mont blanc, herve leger, nfl jerseys, iphone cases, reebok shoes, vans, nike huarache, baseball bats, mac cosmetics, wedding dresses, gucci, ferragamo shoes, p90x workout, vans shoes, north face outlet, timberland boots, celine handbags, babyliss, jimmy choo shoes

Unknown said...

replica watches, jordan shoes, longchamp outlet, air jordan pas cher, cheap oakley sunglasses, christian louboutin outlet, longchamp pas cher, longchamp outlet, sac longchamp, tiffany and co, ray ban sunglasses, louis vuitton, nike free, tiffany jewelry, nike air max, polo ralph lauren outlet, ray ban sunglasses, ugg boots, ray ban sunglasses, chanel handbags, louis vuitton, oakley sunglasses, louboutin outlet, louboutin, louboutin pas cher, prada handbags, prada outlet, kate spade outlet, longchamp, louis vuitton, uggs on sale, michael kors, nike outlet, louboutin shoes, nike air max, gucci outlet, nike roshe run, air max, nike free, oakley sunglasses, ugg boots, ralph lauren pas cher, replica watches, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton outlet, polo ralph lauren outlet, burberry, tory burch outlet