As libertarians were saying back in 2004, and as has been slowly revealed beginning in 2005, the Bush Administration asked Congress NOT to declare war or issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal because Bush and his neocon pals wanted to hold terrorism suspects in ways NOT ALLOWED BY THE GENEVA ACCORDS. Please note what we have said often, and spread the word: Common Article 3 of the Revised Geneva Accords specifies that anyone captured on the soil of a signatory nation, even during battle in a non-declared war, MUST be treated as a P.O.W. The Bushies didn't care about that little piece of the agreement, meaning they didn't care whether US troops were afforded the protections of the agreement either. Barack Obama has continued the policy. Both are morally and legally wrong. Under US law, if no war has been delcared and no Letters of Marque and Reprisal have been issued, then: A. US troops are not supposed to be commanded into action, and B. Even if they are (illegally), anyone they capture must be taken into custody under US Criminal Code -- in this case for suspected terrorism.

Here is the link to this incredible article, and as you read, please note a few things. We will point them out below.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ny-billing-dispute...

First, the writers and editors made an early mistake by not explaining whether a man named Isamudden had been convicted of any crime. They call him a terrorist, but it is far more likely that he was a SUSPECTED terrorist who, like the others were tortured under the CIA "rendition" program, were NEVER given criminal trials for TERRORISM. DUH.

"As these unusual flights happened, U.S. officials took custody of an Indonesian terrorist, Riduan Isamuddin, who had been captured in Thailand and would spend the next three years being shuttled among secret prisons operated by the CIA."

Next, let's look at this statement:

"In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the CIA's Rendition Group, a division of the agency's CounterTerrorism Center, was tasked with finding terrorism suspects, orchestrating their capture and transferring them for interrogation to covert prison sites in allied countries..."

Ahh, yes. "Finding terrorism SUSPECTS." Again, NO TRIAL. Regardless of what the slack-jawed neocons might believe, if baddies are captured by Americans or foriegners who turn teh suspects over to US officials, and EVEN IF THE SUSPECTS AREN'T AMERICANS, there is only one thing you can do with them if Congress hasn't declared War. It's called a CRIMINAL TRIAL IN US COURT. (Um, like Omar Abdel-Rahman, the "Blind Sheik"!) So, let's see what else here... Hmmm...

Oh, yes! Then there's the leftist Washington Post FINALLY admitting that President Obama is CONTINUING THE RENDITIONS! What happened to the protests? Where are the angry vigils from leftists?

"President Obama closed the CIA's secret interrogation program, but the administration continues to allow rendition in certain circumstances."

How quaint. And nebulous. "Certain circumstances." Any protests from leftists? Neocons? Anyone? Beuller?

It seems as if the libertarians are the only consistent people when it comes to civil liberties. Anyone surprised?

Spread the word. Be Seeing You!