Amerika, 2007

President Bush's law providing cover for torture also would seem to provide cover for instances like this one:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061006/ap_on_re_us/guantanamo_alleged_abuse

Bush's Amerikan Gulag Authorization Act of 2006 not only provides legal cover for those beating helpless prisoners - the Marines in the story linked above are good examples - it provides for the "disappearing" of Americans. There's a provision of the law that allows Americans taken as enemy combattants to petition for habeas corpus but the hook, the part that gives Bush powers generally reserved for the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Ho Chi Minh is that once taken, he can convene one of his drumhead "tribunals" have you declared an enemy combattant and then, your right to petition for your freedom is gone.

Then in come the Marines, no longer afraid that smashing you repeatedly into the bars of your cell is a war crime. Not only are they covered, you are never going to see American soil or breathe freely again.

Even more frightening, Bush and Rumsfeld won for themselve the right to set "other criteria" defining you as an enemy combattant. Writing this blog opposing Bush's policies could be construed as providing "material support" to the enemy or Bush or Rummy could just make up new criteria. Then it's off to the Gulag for your Humble Author. Then in come the CIA interrogators.

Torture is not a technique for extracting information. It's a technique for extracting confessions and intimidating opponents. And it's legal now.

And in come the Marines.

God bless Amerika.