Indefinite Military Detention of Citizens on US Soil Still in Pentagon Spending Bill

[Brewman_Jax]

http://www.alternet.org/rights/153259/in...ding_bill/

From the article:

Quote:A fast-moving defense authorization bill in the Senate would grant police powers to the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and legal aliens suspected of aiding terrorists anywhere in the world – including on U.S. soil – without charges or the right to a trial in the criminal justice system.

Though top military and national security officials in the Obama administration oppose the detention provisions—and the White House has threatened a veto—opponents of expanding the military’s reach onto U.S. soil were unable to amend the bill on Tuesday.

“The Supreme Court has ruled that citizens can be held,” Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, who helped craft the provision, said moments before voting on the amendment to remove the language. “We can and must deal with the Al Queda threat.”

“These provisions could well represent a threat to our constitutional liberties,” countered Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colorado, whose amendment failed 37-61. “What is not clear is what we do with someone arrested in his home because of suspected terrorist ties. These detainee provisions would authorize that person’s indefinite detention, but it misses a critical point. How do we know that a citizen has committed these crimes unless they are tried and convicted? Do we really want to open the door to domestic military police powers and possibly deny U.S. citizens their due process rights?”


...

The government in general, and the rabid RW in particular, had never liked the idea of dissent and protest against government policies. This is why the Bill of Rights had to be written into the Constitution these many years ago. This bill is another attempt at an end-around the Posse Comitatus law, which prohibits the use of the military for civilian law-enforcement, and other civil liberties under the shadow of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. This bill should not be hidden, but shown for all to see.

[Ikonoklast]

Allowing that will kill all Constitutional protections as the basis for detainment, incarceration, and trial.

Might as well go completely Fascist, just sub-contract that out to military contractors, let them arrest, detain, and disappear you into one of their private prisons, never to see a court room or a judge.

[KonaKane]

I completely agree, and this is why I was so irate at Carl Levin for signing on to this outrageous crap. I honestly do not know what is motivating him, and cannot find any comment on the bill from him online to answer that question.

[Treestar]

And here they do not have the leverage - they want the defense spending, don't they? Stupid Republicans deserve a taste of their own medicine.