Opinion: A wrong turn in fight on terrorism
Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Dec. 16, 2011, Los Angeles Times.
The White House said this week that President Obama will sign a controversial $662-billion defense authorization that permits indefinite detention without trial for some terrorism suspects and broadens the authorization for the use of force against people and groups “associated” with Al Qaeda anywhere in the world. It’s the wrong choice.
The bill, which passed the House Wednesday and the Senate Thursday, is being advertised as a compromise with the administration, and indeed it includes provisions designed to avoid a veto. But several are vague or confusing. For example, although it requires that foreign suspected Al Qaeda terrorists be placed in military custody, it seems to allow FBI agents to interrogate them. On Wednesday, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III said that the compromise left “uncertainty as to who has the role and who’s going to do what.”
Here too: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/coleen-rowley/ndaa-military-detainment_b_1126781.html
I like the part about how the heads of the FBI and CIA have criticized the bill. Sort of like tooling down the road wondering why all the snowplow markers are to the left of you. I think that if Obama signs this, he should immediately apply it to the sponsors of the bill and the entire field of Republican presidential hopefuls, just to show what a slippery slope it is. Let them cool their heels for 48 hours. Sen. Paul would forgive him, who cares about the rest? Oh, and Bachmann should definitely get water boarded. A lot.