From The Washington Post:
White House Weighs Order on DetentionIndeed, the "issues haven't morphed" and it's not even clear that the administration has changed.
Officials: Move Would Reassert Power To Hold Terror Suspects IndefinitelyObama administration officials, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, are crafting language for an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely....
Such an order would embrace claims by former president George W. Bush that certain people can be detained without trial for long periods under the laws of war....
After months of internal debate over how to close the military facility in Cuba, White House officials are increasingly worried that reaching quick agreement with Congress on a new detention system may be impossible....
"Civil liberties groups have encouraged the administration, that if a prolonged detention system were to be sought, to do it through executive order," the official said. Such an order could be rescinded and would not block later efforts to write legislation....
[S]everal officials involved said they have found themselves agreeing with conclusions reached years earlier by the Bush administration: As many as 90 detainees cannot be charged or released....
"These issues haven't morphed simply because the administration changed," said Juan Zarate, who served as Bush's deputy national security adviser for counterterrorism and is now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Comments (6)
Wow. Indefinite detention, signing statements, sure feels like old times.
Posted by AlanSmithee | June 29, 2009 3:28 PM
Posted on June 29, 2009 15:28
He doesn't seem to have a problem with issuing the dreaded "signing statements" that had the Daily Kossacks up in arms during the Bush administration. In this case he announced he's ignoring some labor and environmental provisions included in the recent war funding bill.
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/29/headlines#11
Posted by Nicholas Hart | June 29, 2009 9:09 PM
Posted on June 29, 2009 21:09
Dallas DNA baby BOO YAA!!!
Posted by Son of Uncle Sam | June 30, 2009 7:57 AM
Posted on June 30, 2009 07:57
What a jerk this man is. I never expected much of anything from Obama, but it's amazing how much less there's turning out to be than what I thought wasn't there to begin with. He's actually as cynical and vicious as Clinton, so we're talking nixonian depths here, aren't we?
Posted by Michael Hureaux | June 30, 2009 3:26 PM
Posted on June 30, 2009 15:26
Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?
Posted by IOZ | July 2, 2009 11:51 AM
Posted on July 2, 2009 11:51
Thanks, IOZ. You got me to go back and read the poem again. Man oh man, was that guy good.
Our current crop of Democrats puts me more in mind of his famous triolet:
Jenin l'Avenu,
Va-t-en aux estuves;
Et toy la venu,
Jenin l'Avenu,
Si te lave nu
Et tu baigne es cuves.
Jenin l'Avenu,
Va-t-en aux estuves.
Posted by MJS | July 2, 2009 6:28 PM
Posted on July 2, 2009 18:28