White House Proposal Would Expand Authority of Military Courts

[Contrary1]

Will this never end?

"A draft Bush administration plan for special military courts seeks to expand the reach and authority of such "commissions" to include trials, for the first time, of people who are not members of al-Qaeda or the Taliban and are not directly involved in acts of international terrorism, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

The plan, which would replace a military trial system ruled illegal by the Supreme Court in June, would also allow the secretary of defense to add crimes at will to those under the military court's jurisdiction. The two provisions would be likely to put more individuals than previously expected before military juries, officials and independent experts said.

The draft proposed legislation, set to be discussed at two Senate hearings today, is controversial inside and outside the administration because defendants would be denied many protections guaranteed by the civilian and traditional military criminal justice systems.

Under the proposed procedures, defendants would lack rights to confront accusers, exclude hearsay accusations, or bar evidence obtained through rough or coercive interrogations. They would not be guaranteed a public or speedy trial and would lack the right to choose their military counsel, who in turn would not be guaranteed equal access to evidence held by prosecutors..."

Read it and weep for the slow death of America... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/01/AR2006080101334_pf.html

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. sounds like they are intended for US citizens, no?

If the GOP congress approves this shit, future history books will show that they were the first up against the wall when the revolution came.
(Thank you, Mr. Adams.)

[ixion]

2. why are they even being allowed to propose garbage like this?

haven't we had enough with the unPATRIOTic Act(s) and the domestic spying and the erosion of posse comitatus?

When are people going to wake up and smell the fascism? Oh yeah, after it's too late, I imagine. :cry:

[Contrary1]

3. Kicking for the evening crowd n/t