rssJeff Sessions and the Case for Eternal War
Thursday, May 07, 2009 at 3:47 pm
- 2 Comments
Following up on Dave’s post about the GOP push to keep Guantanamo detainees out of Kalamazoo schoolyards, here’s Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) on Fox News yesterday, arguing the timeframe for keeping those detainees under U.S. watch on Cuba. Here’s a hint: It would extend precisely forever.
SESSIONS: [White House officials] don’t know what to do with these prisoners. It’s a difficult question for them. They’ve gotten themselves into a box and they’ve got to figure their way out. But I’ll tell you, under the law that we passed several years ago, a person that’s been trained in a terrorist — by a terrorist organization — cannot emigrate to the United States. And so now we’re taking people out of Guantanamo, bringing them and releasing them in the United States … And so this is a very direct violation of the law of the United States Congress. I do not see how they can get around this.
FOX: All right. Do you agree we can’t hold them forever?
SESSIONS: Well, as long as they represent a threat to the United States and we’re in a state of war, I think they can be held.
Two questions: (1) How is it that it’s the Obama administration that’s gotten itself “into a box” for vowing to close Guantanamo, rather than the Bush administration for opening it? And (2) because we never officially declared war in this fight, when exactly will the non-war end?
Attorney General Eric Holder told lawmakers today that the administration considers about 30 of the 241 detainees currently being held at the Guantanamo Bay facility not to be terrorists. Still awaiting Sessions’ suggestion about what to do with them.
2 Comments
Comment posted May 23, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Perpetual war for perpetual peace. Unfortunately history shows that all too often that has been our way to solve problems. This is inconsistent with our belief that we are, “The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.”
Adding perpetual detentions for what will be an unending number of prisoners for an unending war, makes it even worse. It will not solve the problem, and the permanent detentions will add to the ability of the worlds enemy to recruit more terrorists. It will continue the blight on our Nation's honor.
Permanent detentions are not a reasonable course of action for a Country that wants to be a Nation of Laws, that wants to live up to its amazing Constitution and Bill of Rights, two documents that changed the world, that changed how governments are supposed to act.
Terrorists are criminals that commit crimes against humanity. They should be prosecuted where they are found. They should be expeditiously prosecuted in criminal courts and imprisoned by any country where they commit their criminal acts.
We did this in the United States. WE DID THIS IN THE UNITED STATES SUCCESSFULLY WITH NO PROBLEM.
So what changed? It was 9/11. It was 9/11 which so shocked us we lost our sense of Justice is a miasma of fear.
Before 9/11 we had no fear that our courts could not do their job as needed. Before 9/11 we had no fear that our prisons were insecure for terrorists, or that they could continue to run terrorist operations from behind bars.
We need to return to law and order. We need to return to the principles of our guiding documents, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
We need to have the courage to believe in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Watering them down, or ignoring them because “this is different” is a formula for disaster. It is a road to dictatorship. It is a road to perpetual war for perpetual peace. It is a road to fear so great we will imprison our own citizens without habeas corpus, a lawyer, a hearing, a trial or any recognized form of justice.
We need to have the courage to become a Nation of Laws again.
And, we need leaders in our government that explain this to the people. Explain this in a manner that is both understandable and that changes the ability of those that would keep us in fear, that make us afraid.
It is this fear that some politicians have capitalized on for their advantage, to gain power or to prevent justice. This fear has distorted our values, our moral conscience, and enabled our politicians to commit shameful and illegal actions in the world. We need our politicians and talk show folks to stop trying to lead this nation by fear, or we need to stop listening to them.
We need leaders that can say, “There you go again”, with that fear and intimidation stuff.
We are a great nation. We are a people of courage and optimism that “can do.” We only need to get back on track with faith in our guiding principles and each other.
We need to again believe that no man is above the law. Crimes get punished. Our leaders as well as our citizens are bound by and follow ALLl the laws. Negativism is unproductive. Fear does not solve problems. Deeds not words. We need to know we can trust our government and that it is not subject to the unequal influence of special interest money.
We need only to look at our Nation's past to see examples of men that were giants of courage and honesty. Men like George Washington that held an army together by the force of his will and example. Men and women like John and Abigail Adams that knew defending unpopular defendants was as important to justice and democracy as waving a flag. We need to remember men like President Roosevelt that reminded us that, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Lets start fixing the problems not the blame. Lets reclaim our honor in the world and here at home.
Lets stop tolerating governance by fear and intimidation and special interests.
Comment posted May 23, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
Perpetual war for perpetual peace. Unfortunately history shows that all too often that has been our way to solve problems. This is inconsistent with our belief that we are, “The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.”
Adding perpetual detentions for what will be an unending number of prisoners for an unending war, makes it even worse. It will not solve the problem, and the permanent detentions will add to the ability of the worlds enemy to recruit more terrorists. It will continue the blight on our Nation's honor.
Permanent detentions are not a reasonable course of action for a Country that wants to be a Nation of Laws, that wants to live up to its amazing Constitution and Bill of Rights, two documents that changed the world, that changed how governments are supposed to act.
Terrorists are criminals that commit crimes against humanity. They should be prosecuted where they are found. They should be expeditiously prosecuted in criminal courts and imprisoned by any country where they commit their criminal acts.
We did this in the United States. WE DID THIS IN THE UNITED STATES SUCCESSFULLY WITH NO PROBLEM.
So what changed? It was 9/11. It was 9/11 which so shocked us we lost our sense of Justice is a miasma of fear.
Before 9/11 we had no fear that our courts could not do their job as needed. Before 9/11 we had no fear that our prisons were insecure for terrorists, or that they could continue to run terrorist operations from behind bars.
We need to return to law and order. We need to return to the principles of our guiding documents, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
We need to have the courage to believe in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Watering them down, or ignoring them because “this is different” is a formula for disaster. It is a road to dictatorship. It is a road to perpetual war for perpetual peace. It is a road to fear so great we will imprison our own citizens without habeas corpus, a lawyer, a hearing, a trial or any recognized form of justice.
We need to have the courage to become a Nation of Laws again.
And, we need leaders in our government that explain this to the people. Explain this in a manner that is both understandable and that changes the ability of those that would keep us in fear, that make us afraid.
It is this fear that some politicians have capitalized on for their advantage, to gain power or to prevent justice. This fear has distorted our values, our moral conscience, and enabled our politicians to commit shameful and illegal actions in the world. We need our politicians and talk show folks to stop trying to lead this nation by fear, or we need to stop listening to them.
We need leaders that can say, “There you go again”, with that fear and intimidation stuff.
We are a great nation. We are a people of courage and optimism that “can do.” We only need to get back on track with faith in our guiding principles and each other.
We need to again believe that no man is above the law. Crimes get punished. Our leaders as well as our citizens are bound by and follow ALLl the laws. Negativism is unproductive. Fear does not solve problems. Deeds not words. We need to know we can trust our government and that it is not subject to the unequal influence of special interest money.
We need only to look at our Nation's past to see examples of men that were giants of courage and honesty. Men like George Washington that held an army together by the force of his will and example. Men and women like John and Abigail Adams that knew defending unpopular defendants was as important to justice and democracy as waving a flag. We need to remember men like President Roosevelt that reminded us that, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Lets start fixing the problems not the blame. Lets reclaim our honor in the world and here at home.
Lets stop tolerating governance by fear and intimidation and special interests.
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