Amnesty International on NDAA: ""Trust me" is not enough of a safeguard"

[Luminous Animal]

"Despite expressing serious reservations, the Obama administration has paved the way for legislation that will authorize indefinite detention. The bill places enormous power in the hands of future Presidents, and the only answer the President has is to say "trust me."

"Once any government has the authority to hold people indefinitely, the risk is that it can be almost impossible to rein such power in. President Obama has failed to take the one action – a veto – that would have blocked the dangerous provisions in the NDAA. In so doing, he has allowed human rights to be further undermined and given Al Qaeda a propaganda victory."

Amnesty International and over 45 other organizations will protest the NDAA and Guantanamo in front of the White House on January 11--the 10th anniversary of the "war on terror" prison. Sign up at http://www.amnestyusa.org/jan11.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/trust-me-is-not-enough-of-a-safeguard-says-amnesty-international-as-president-obama-signs-the-ndaa-i

[mmonk]

1. Bingo.

We have a winner.

[Autumn]

2. I'm not even sure he trusts himself.

He had "serious reservations" about it and signed it anyway. Some times you just have to say, hell no I'm not doing this.

[a simple pattern]

5. "my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American

citizens..." ... I'll leave that for all future Presidents whoever they may be... probably...

[quinnox]

3. Papers please!

The NDAA is a giant step towards this nightmare Orwellian vision coming to the USA. 1930s Germany is not something to strive to emulate.

Saying "My fellow Americans, I promise I won't use this" is meaningless, because Obama will be gone eventually, maybe sooner rather than later depending on the elections.

[comipinko]

4. This hatred of Obama is getting out of hand.

I think "trust me" is good enough. Afterall, or government knows best.

[Remember Me]

19. This betrayal by Obama is getting out of hand

YOU may trust Obama (I don't think I do) -- but what about the next guy? Or the one after that?

We're supposed to be "a nation of LAWS, not men." So we don't have to rely on their good will.

[comipinko]

20. LOL, forgot to add: " sarcasm"

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. In a democracy the people are not supposed to "trust" politicians.

"History has tried to teach us that we can't have good government under politicians.  Now, to go and stick one at the very head of government couldn’t be wise." Mark Twain

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Time to throw Amnesty International under the bus

they must hate Obama too.

[Luminous Animal]

8. Amnesty International is a Paulite.

[i_sometimes]

13. *wiping screen*

Oh boy....LMAO!

[Luminous Animal]

9. Kick.

[T S Justly]

10. K&R (nt)

[hfojvt]

11. what if it is s-s-s-sung s-s-s-s-softly

[Luminous Animal]

17. Oh, I loved watching that movie with my daughter when she was little!

So many good songs!

[Odin2005]

12. AI goes under da bus!

[QC]

14. They're just jealous! n/t

[midnight]

15. Boy the last time we heard a similar phrase was from the bankers.

[bvar22]

16. "Serious Reservations", but signs it anyway.

His name will now always be at the bottom of this horrendous bill.
It IS the historical equivalent of "I APPROVE this message."

He SHOULD have refused to sign it,
and DARED Congress to pass it over his veto,
unless he was just bullshitting again about having "serious reservations."

That way, HIS Name would NOT appear at the bottom of this historical document.

[font size=6] ..Because ITS the LAW now![/font]
signing statements and other equivocations do not matter.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
[font size=5 color=green][center]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[theaocp]

18. I have no idea

why this is such a hard concept to grasp, unless people just do not want to understand it. That might make some sense. What a clusterfuck.

[SpiralHawk]

21. k and r

k and r

[Wind Dancer]

22. K&R

Excellent article - EVERYBODY should be outraged over this. The apologists will regret this one day, mark my word.