November 15, 2001 (888WebToday)  On the way to the ranch to meet and barbecue burgers with Russian Prime Minister, and former high ranking KGB member Senior Putin, Bush casually grabs bunches of civil liberties and flushes them down the toilet.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (UPI) reports that House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, said Wednesday a decision by President George W. Bush that terrorist suspects might face a military tribunal adds to questions about civil liberties.

In a Nov. 14 letter to Committee Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., Conyers called for hearings on civil liberties, including an administration plan to monitor these breaking developments.

Conyers said Bush's Tuesday decision to establish military tribunals run by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld only adds to his concern.  "Indeed, Conyers complained, the very purpose of the directive appears to be to skirt the usual constitutional and criminal justice rules that are the hallmark of our democratic form of government."

I must say that in 20 years of weighing in on political issues, this is the first and only time I find myself agreeing with a Democrat! Agreeing yes, but for a divergent number of reasons.

The first reason in my rationale is that primary and key evidence, may be manufactured, lost or disregarded altogether coupled with the grand possibility of a dishonest and unfair trial and the lack of adequate defense counsel, all would send a chilly wind right through our cherished liberties! I don't care about the terrorists, but I do care about our civil rights and even though this proposal is only meant to cover foreign nationals, it would only be a hop, skip and a jump to apply these broad military powers to citizens here at home. This will give our government immeasurable war like power and free reign, to do what they wish, with little or no outside oversight by the press or the defendant's counsel! I do understand the governments desire to avoid unnecessary legal entanglements in their prosecution of the "evil doers", I just have a difficult time trusting powerful men in Washington as they have a long and brutal history of not being forthright with the American public.

Lots of red, white and blue flags going all over the playing field in this bold aggressive move. What Bush is purposing here is absolutely astonishing, not that there is any love lost, whatsoever for terrorists, who may actually be guilty of what they are being charged with. Hey what about due - process? Anyone remember that we live in the USA and in the land of freedom?

Of course the overriding concern here is that once you impale these liberties, often they disappear for a long time, never to be seen again! And what about when they come knocking on your door.. Hand- cuff you and put you in jail, and convict you of a crime you did not commit Vern?

No legal representation, no call from the jail house, no bail, no right to have 12 brethren of your peers decide your fate. Just smiling Donald reading the verdict and god knows what is next with this power-hungry crowd?

Perhaps the real smoke screen here is that the power groups are not anxious for the whole truth about 9/11 to come to light. Might get a little sticky to have a polished criminal defense attorney legally calling for records and   witness', which may prove any fraction or trace of hard evidence, that could turn out to be an "embarrassment to the administration", especially if their line about 9/11 and this multi-billion dollar Central Asian war is untrue or tainted in any way!

Finally, what about these grand victories by the Northern Alliance (the former corrupt drug running culprits of Afghanistan?)  in the last 3 days! Amazing that the war effort has turned on a dime, just one week from the onset of a really bad nitpicking press and winter and a Muslim high holy month? Did the CIA give the Taliban an early Christmas present to get out of town? Or did the Bush-man just get lucky in his first overseas war effort. I hate like hell to be so disbelieving, but folks we're not in high school anymore and there are a lot of hidden agendas on the plate, as I have pointed out in many prior postings.

Call me a cynic at heart or Mark Twain reincarnated just, please do not call me un-American for asking the tough questions. We all need to be asking some tough questions right about now or have we lost the right to wonder what our thinly elected government is doing for us, with us or against us? Remember watch the money trail and we are talking about billions in US sponsored cash. Everyone of our so-called allies have their hand in our deep pockets, or I don't think they would be on this playground. Even our old enemies of questionable reputation are lining up to be best buddies with Uncle Sam and the US tax-payers wallet. Some  of the best damn friends that our money can buy. Of course true friends don't need to be paid for, DO THEY?

Like a big block of Limburger cheese left in the sun a little too long, this whole thing just smells real bad about right now. Pardon me if I skip the victory parade and spend a little time comforting the unemployed down on main street at the local soup kitchens across America.
 
 

 Back to Web Today