In yet another indication of how extreme Bush officials were in their war on terrorism, the New York Times is reporting that Vice President Dick Cheney and others pushed former President George Bush to send troops into Buffalo New York to arrest a group of men accused of terrorism.
What is interesting about this story is that such use of military force was completely unnecessary and shows how Bush officials used terrorism to advance their agenda to expand the authority of the presidency. Many Bush officials like John Yoo, Viet Dinh and others had advocated radical views of presidential authority before 9-11. If true, this is the most obvious example of how 9-11 was viewed by Bush officials as an opportunity to achieve their objectives to re-structure the American presidency along the lines of what is often called an “imperial presidency.” The Bush people articulated a view that dwarfed even Richard Nixon who is most associated with the imperial presidency model.
The debate over a military intervention in the suburbs of Buffalo occurred in 2002 — precisely the time when the unlawful programs on torture and warrantless surveillance were ramping up. Indeed, the usual suspects were present in these meetings calling for extreme measures: the lawyers John C. Yoo and Robert J. Delahunty authored the primary memo supporting the move. They argued implausibly that the move would be supported by federal law since the president was recognized to have authority “to take military actions, domestic as well as foreign, if he determines such actions to be necessary to respond to the terrorist attacks upon the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and before.”
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 generally prohibits the military from acting in a law enforcement capacity, but Bush officials were highly antagonistic toward the act and its limitations. Congress allowed Bush to expand the domestic use of the military after 9-11 — part of its passive and infamous legacy in the aftermath of the attacks.
The targets were the Lackawanna Six and the Bush officials wanted them declared enemy combatants and a military intervention launched. These were relatively low-grade terrorist wannabes who were convicted of material support — a relatively easy charge for prosecutors when they cannot prove actual terror plots or conspiracies. Mukhtar Al-Bakri, Sahim Alwan, Faysal Galab, Shafal Mosed, Yaseinn Taher, and Yahya Goba all received sentences of ten years or less. The very idea of intervening with active military units for such a group is further evidence of the opportunistic conduct of Bush officials to achieve their vision of an all-powerful chief executive. To his credit, Bush refused to order the military intervention.
Notably, most of the framers opposed a standing army rather than a people’s militia because of their fear of the tendency of the military in history to exert political and social control over countries. We have seen how a domestic role of the military in other countries has produced instability and abuses.
What is truly frightening is how close we came. A single person stood in the way of tearing down one of our most important legal and political traditions. The bar on domestic law enforcement activities distinguishes this country from other countries where the military holds tremendous power like Iran. The recent military takeover in Honduras is an example of the dangers. We have long believed that people raised under our freedoms (and particularly trained in our laws) would be opposed to such attacks on our traditions and values. Yet, a vice president and top legal advisers facilitated an effort that was not just unlawful but unnecessary. It shows that, even in the most successful democracy in history, we can still stand just one vote away from a path of abuse or even tyranny. The alarm over this story is magnified by the utter failure of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to exercise checks and balances during this period. We came down to George Bush — no civil libertarian — to block this effort — though this may have been more of a political and legal calculation.
For the full story, click here.
Apologist always appear in a rush.
Apologist much?
Apologist must?
The hyperventilating among many of the commentators is really too much.
This plan was DISCUSSED!@!!!!, not enacted, DISCUSSED!!!@! as all options should be at a time of war and likely have been by probably every single U.S. president. I truly don’t understand the intellect of some of those who are so blinded by Bush hatred that they make so overreaching statements.
Buddha,
Love you man and even in your waspish modality you are great.
Bdaman,
Despite areas of sympathy with him you have to realize what a moron BVM is and a mechanical one at that. He is troll personified, but we keep him around to remind us of just how crazy and dumb this country can get.
JT,
While I agree with your premise that this was more of the expansion of Presidential powers and Imperial Presidency game, I think there is an element that we must add to round out our understanding. Cheney, Yoo, et. al. are psychologically fascist in outlook and while their actions did meet the expansion of powers agenda, they saw nothing wrong with their thinking from simply their limited viewpoints.
These men literally see the world as fascists do and I surmise that because of it there is no introspection or guilty consciences among them. They would have been quite comfortable as Courtiers in some medieval King’s Court, vying for his approval and believing in the divine right of his kingship, even as they might plot his replacement and their accession. They probably understood that GW Bush was a dim bulb, but they kowtowed to his heritage which to them was as aristocratic as an American can get. What took them above the feudal level, into fascism, is that they also feel the same deference to the hugely rich and to the large corporate entities.
Long is the shadow of Nixon’s Pardon that it still falls upon the nation. It taught little rummies and cheneys and wolfies that no consequences shall be forthcoming for, why, anything, anything at all.
Prosecutions are required not only to remedy the past, but to reign in this new President, who is receiving uncommonly bad advice regarding his predilection to continue to guzzle the power that is not his, but was granted him by a terrified Congress, all to feed the dying soul of the previous Vice President, a terrible Vaal that continues to receive offerings through this moment.
Congress has the power to fix this. Congress has the power to restore fear into the words “congressional subpoena.” It’s the second half of the necessary Pincer Move, with Eric Holder on the t’other claw.
We must continue to demand they act, loudly, and repeatedly.
Buddha,
No problem. We all have a snap or two on here. Jill, I am not sure that we had a coup already, but the election was supposed to be something of a radical change in direction for the country. While Obama has done many things correctly, he is being stupid in the civil rights and national security area. I am still hopeful that will straighten out, but my patience is gone. This business of Bush not listening to Cheney is just more of the same post Bush administration spew intended to polish up a felonious regime. I concur with Buddha that without the rule of law, anarchy will reign. Just the fact that there was a discussion of the possibility of using US troops on US soil is an insane discussion. If Bush and his other “advisors” were real patriots, they would have had Cheney committed at that time and place. It probably would have saved lives.
What is interesting about this story is that such use of military “force was completely unnecessary and shows how Bush officials used terrorism to advance their agenda to expand the authority of the presidency.”
It is called the law of Compliance.
America – Germany
Neocons – Nazis
Regular Military – Wehrmacht
DHS/Zee nee Blackwater/CIA “contractors” – Gestapo and SS
An illegal seizure of power – An illegal seizure of power
A steady decline in human and civil rights – A steady decline in human and civil rights
Ineffective and/or complicit representation – Ineffective and/or complicit representation
Economic turmoil exploited by fascist co-conspirators – Economic turmoil exploited by fascist co-conspirators
Repression of “state defined undesirables” – Kristalnacht
What’s next? – The Final Solution (to rights and liberty for anyone not involved in the conspiracy, vanished into black prisons if not unmarked graves if they demand justice, law and humanity applies to all and not just the sociopaths)
Correlation is not causation comes up often around here. But a pattern is a pattern.
I look forward to being a “Good American” if this pattern holds.
bdaman,
My apologies. I did just scan the message on the other thread and I jumped the gun. Thanks for the link. Space is a beautiful place and I think you’re a good person despite back and forth – but the prosecution is bad for the country line could become a serious problem I will stipulate. It’s a bad idea that a good person should not propagate.
To All The Regulars,
Please forgive me if I am a bit out of sorts for the next few weeks. It is unintentional and will pass. Wounded animals sometimes bite and snap.
I agree with rafflaw that this at least should be, one more crime to investigate. Remember that Blackwater was hired by FEMA/Homeland Security and was first on the scene, armed to the teeth, shooting people in New Orleans. That news never got much play and to my knowledge, the shootings have never been prosecuted. We now have an official unit of the army on American soil to “maintain order in civilian crowds” in direct violation of the law. This week we may all anticipate FEMA NLE09 as bdman pointed out.
The transition between Obama and Bush has been seamless and I think we have had our coup already.
http://www.fema.gov/media/fact_sheets/nle09.shtm
“The alarm over this story is magnified by the utter failure of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to exercise checks and balances during this period. We came down to George Bush — no civil libertarian — to block this effort — though this may have been more of a political and legal calculation.”
*******************
Whew, that was close. Proof again, I suppose, that God, him(her)self, “God looks after drunks, little children and the United States of America.” I just am not sure whether Bush is the first or second option.
No thanks, I’m done with your science education. That little experience has only shown me you are what teachers sometime refer to as “a difficult learner”.
Speaking of learning, you need to learn to distinguish that this ISN’T a pro-Obama site. It’s a pro-Constitution, civil/human rights and Rule of Law site if it must be characterized as anything other than the Prof.’s salon. The Cult of Personality is much derided here. None of which changes that you’re wrong here about prosecution being bad for the country. Not just a little wrong, but flat out staggeringly wrong. If you don’t think trials will happen, fine, that’s your opinion, but perpetuating that meme that “justice is bad for the country”? That’s pure trolldom whether rooted in simple ignorance or actual malice toward the Constitution. It helps the criminals get away.
Buddah when I first came here and started posting here my first post, which I looked for the other day and I wish I could remember it word for word. It basically said Obama would continue with the same old Bush policies and protect Bush. I remember Mike S. calling me a neocon, you called me a troll, Rafflaw called me whatever. We have seen that Obama has continued the same old Bush policies and he is protecting him with his statement that we should look forward and not behind. We have also seen that Obama with a mere slip of the tounge has fired up Police unions accross the country. The majotity of which endorsed McCain. I leave it at that. BVM calls for the arrest of Bush just as much as he calls for the arrest of Obama. If one acts like the other (Bush/Obama) then if it walks like a duck and quacks like one, it must be a duack.
Hey Buddah jump over to the climate change I want to share something with you. Might take me a couple of minutes but check back at that thread.
You got that backwards. “[I]f it [DOESN’T HAPPEN] total chaos will erupt in this country because of the difference between right and left.” When the law is lawless, there is anarchy. When the law functions as designed, there is justice.
bdaman, I have to say you are a growing disappointment. You’ve gone from simply being eccentric to just towing the apologist/anti-punishment propaganda line – just from the back hand side – you’re all for it, but it’s bad for the country. Well I’m calling bullshit on that too. NOT upholding the law is what is bad for the country in this instance. Injustice breeds conflict.
And relying upon BVM for anything of credibility? It only makes you look like an actual troll. Which I don’t think you are, but man, you are certainly starting to smell like one.
rafflaw it will never happen, if it does total chaos will erupt in this country because of the difference between right and left. It appears to me and becomes more and more clearer that Igor Panarin is right on track in his prediction that the United States will break up. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/3521671/US-will-collapse-and-break-up-Russian-analyst-predicts.html
US: Guaranty Trust of Texas is out of money and will be taken over by the government. This will be the largest bank failure so far in 2009.
Watch this video from Rolling Stone, the most compelling video yet.
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/674.html
I would not give Bush credit for turning down Cheney and the rest of the neocon cabal. Even he realized how stupid and dangerous such a move would be. These so-called terrorists were less dangerous than Cheney himself. The law and obviously Congress at the time, did not deter them from wanting to dangerously increasing Presidential power. This is additional evidence that Yoo and Cheney and many others need to be investigated by AG Holder for torture and for other crimes.
shows how Bush officials used terrorism to advance their agenda to expand the authority of the presidency.
If true, this is the most obvious example of how 9-11 was viewed by Bush officials as an opportunity to achieve their objectives to re-structure the American presidency along the lines of what is often called an “imperial presidency.”
Who you kidding if true? They freakn ALLOWED and help FACILITATE 9-11 to do just that. The scary part is the sweep regulations that were past after 9-11 are in the hands of this executive officer. We have already seen he has adapted well to his predecessor. http://jonathanturley.org/2009/07/22/democrats-denounce-obama-for-bush-like-signing-statement-announcing-he-is-not-bound-by-federal-legislation/
IN THE FAMOUS WORDS OF BVM, THEY ARE ALL WAR CRIMINALS ARREST THEM ALL. what ever he says go BVM
Evidently the bushies thought the Posse Comitatus Act was one of if not the stupidest laws on the books.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/07/stupidest-law-in-nation.html