C.I.A. Tapes a Smoking Gun on American "Enemy Combatant"

[sniffa]

Missing almost entirely from news coverage of the destroyed CIA tapes is the explosive fact that they involve Jose Padilla, the American citizen held incommunicado and without charges or a trial for nearly four years. The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, the "Bill of Rights" states: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused, shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State."

snip

In military detention, Padilla was made to sleep on a metal cot, subjected to hooding, stress positions, assaults, threats of imminent execution, and the administration of “truth serums,” according to his lawyer. Padilla was not even allowed a lawyer until two years after his arrest. When the government released him to the civilian courts 3-and-a-half years later, Padilla was docile, and did little to assist in his own defense. The charges against him bore no resemblance to the original allegations.

What could be so important in the destroyed CIA tapes that, despite the firestorm which would surely follow, they were destroyed anyway? Abu Zubaydah, a subject of the tapes, is none other than the foreign national whom Padilla's lawyers say was tortured into linking Padilla with Al Qaeda. This was the lynchpin of the government's case against Padilla. We're talking about an American citizen who was deprived of his birthrights for nearly four years. In its legal argument, the government stressed that Padilla's legal team could not prove that Zubaydah had been tortured.

The CIA tapes involve the most audacious of the administration's many audacious extensions of Executive power: the power to lock up Americans indefinitely without a trial. If the public were ever to understand this clearly, and internalize the implications, there could be calls for impeachment from both the left and right.

Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff's recent, curiously-timed musings that the next terror threat might be "homegrown" makes it seem that they are already spinning us to view the enemy as ourselves. This is damage control, in case Americans ever rise in outrage at the treatment of Padilla who, innocent or guilty, was presumed guilty from the start, against the most fundamental guarantee of American law.

much more. fucking sick. this an American citizen for fuck's sake. :puke:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_ralph_lo_071222_c_i_a__tapes_a_smoki.htm

[EFerrari]

1. Oh, but all this is about brown terrorists. No one could possibly imagine

it would affect an American citizen.

:puke:

[sniffa]

2. it's outrageous

how can anyone not be up in arms? :puke:

Bush's elevation of the radical, never-before-seen doctrine of "wartime powers" in a war that lasts forever, and its placement alongside the Constitution, is like putting lipstick on a pig. Bush cites "a state of war" as his basis for overriding basic rights. But if the war has no end, doesn't that mean the Constitution itself has been overturned? And is this not a violation of the presidential oath to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution"? There is not one single, solitary word in the oath about pertekin' the American people, which Bush labels his "most solemn duty." The oath is to the Constitution alone.

New battle lines are appearing. We are seeing the emergence of what may be called "Constitutionalist" versus "corporatist" forces, and of alliances which cut across party lines. Unlikely allies such as Pat Buchanan and Naomi Wolf, Republicans like Bruce Fein, Ron Paul, and Democrat Dennis Kucinich are aligned on one side, and the money-machine candidates like Hillary and Giuliani are aligned on the other. The money-machines will spar on social issues, but never say a word about the subversion of our rights taking place before our very eyes.

[EFerrari]

3. Do you remember they played the tape of that kid from Marin?

They tortured him and threatened him with us and us with him and railroaded him.

He never lifted a hand against an American soldier and we *watched* his torture tape and agreed he was the enemy.

We have already witnessed the torture of American citizens. Hello? Mcfly?

[sniffa]

6. this actually doesn't ring a bell to me

i don't doubt it though. :(

[Kingshakabobo]

7. This guy...

[EFerrari]

22. John Walker Lindh. Nice mug shot, isn't it?

[The Stranger]

28. Interesting how so much of White America takes exactly that position.

The racist implications of "Terrorism" become only clearer and clearer.

[wildbilln864]

4. K&R! Thanks for posting.

Democracy is truly dead!
R.I.P. 1776-2000. :cry:

[sniffa]

5. you're welcome

i hope more people read this.

[wildbilln864]

16. me also!

Wake the fuck up America! :banghead:

[ray of light]

8. thanks for posting. Also..

you should read about Chertoff in Jesselyn Radack's book. Speaking of :puke: I mean Cherftoff not Jesselyn. Jesselyn her lawyer Bruce Fein and others are fighting daily for impeachment hearings. Fein wrote the charges against Clinton. And read Jess's book and see what those people look like to a former DOJ ethics attorney and a whistleblower.
http://www.patriotictruthteller.net

And also... get people to sign the petition at http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com

We need to make those numbers skyrocket before they come back next year.

[sniffa]

12. you're weLcome, and thank you for the links

:hi:

[hootinholler]

9. That this only has 9 recs is telling

Even amongst a progressive population the issue is ignored!

I'm not sure which is more nauseating, the torture of a citizen, or the lack of outrage now that we have hard evidence.

-Hoot

[sniffa]

10. i agree

i'm also disappointed that this has so little replies since it was posted.

i'll keep kicking it one way or another at least.

and i wish at the least, or Dems would condemn this; and condemn it often. :puke:

[me b zola]

11. k&r

[bleever]

13. As the author poignantly writes, this is what we fought World Wars against:

At Iwo Jima the American death rate was a man per minute for the first 60 hours of the assault, about 3600 men dead in less than three days. At Omaha Beach, Normandy, the death rate was even more appalling. In both instances, we fought against forms of government in which you could be swept off the street, kept in secret, tortured, and either released or held indefinitely according to the whims of the government.

[hootinholler]

18. Hey Bleever! Who did yer flag?

I love it and am thinking of making bumper stickers.

-Hoot

Can't believe I couldn't spell Bleever

[bleever]

24. You can't buy it; you can only get it in boxes of Breeze.

Oh wait, that was something else.

I made the flag myself. You're welcome to use the image in any way. You can also get it on stuff (and put it on bumperstickers, I think) at www.cafepress.com/satire_veritas.

All income will go to help fund donations to non-DLC Democratic candidates.

:hi:

[hootinholler]

26. Hmmm, Do you have to enable stickers?

T-shirts, hats mugs, magnets... No stickers.

I'm liking the non-DLC edge!

-Hoot

[Progressive Radical]

32. Our OSS imported fascism from WWII

Why do you think we've slowly evolved into a police state, complete with compliant citizenry?

:shrug:

[Kansas Wyatt]

40. Oh yes, the United States even formed another agency for the Nazis

The CIA

I would be very worried about "homegrown terrorism" too, if I turned 'We The People' into 'Subjects to the Government.'

[RainDog]

14. it is an outrage n/t

[truth2power]

15. k&r n/t

[superkia]

17. Now ask yourself, is the candidate you thinking of voting for...

speaking out about the constitution and the laws being broken? If not, you really shouldnt get upset over this kind of stuff, same goes with war or health care as a right. Too much I see peoples disbelief in whats going on around them but they continue to do things the same way and expecting a different result? We need a president that will give us a voice and inspire us to get involved in the politics of our country.

[sniffa]

19. you're on point

[Progressive Radical]

33. Very well said.

Thanks for saying it.

[sniffa]

20. kick

this is so fucked up, and i hope this is finally the opening into the bush admistration. :nuke:

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0-0&fp=476dcb6552639a78&ei=_-ptR77BLIquygTv9OiXCg&url=http%3A//www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/22/AR2007122201622.html%3Fhpid%3Dtopnews&cid=1125293164

[Oilwellian]

21. I've always felt the Padilla case...

was a stark example of this administration trampling on our Constitution & Bill of Rights. I'm glad to see it front and center again.

K&R :kick:

[Diclotican]

23. sniffa

sniffa

It should be truly interesting to se what was on this tape, and why CIA destroy the tapes... I remember Abu Girab.. And I remember that the current administration was lying the whole way, before the pictures about what was happening in Iraq, in the former Saddam Hussein prison was coming to light.. I know also that before the pictures it was a lot of allegation about crimes from the armed forces, but that it couldn't be proven. Today we KNOW that it was happened criminal thing, that should not have happend...

I really believe that if this tape was coming public, it would ha raised all sorts of problem for the government. And I really believe, if it have been coming out, that many in the government, and in the security system would have been arrested, tried and sentenced to hard time - a long time...

But this criminal Administration, and the "gang" who support the administration is just "doing their job" and doing this.. And for the most part, the american public doesn't care less about this. The news about Briney Spiers pregnant sister is better, and more important then to try to educate themselves, and to stand against fascism, and extremism..

And we all know what happened when the fascist was taking the power in many european country in the year between the world wars... The same is happening in United States of America.. But the sad truth is that for the most part, the american public are not seeing it coming. Even that it is coming Right in your face.. Not many germans was seeing what was coming then Hitler was elected Chansler in 1933... Even that they was we-ry worried about the Brown Shirts and the thugs who ruled the street.. And the terror who followed when Hitler was elected was horrible, and was getting worse and worse when the government was getting into power after trowing out the conservative parties who had supported "a strong man who can liberate germany from the evil communist":. When even the conservatisms was been trowing into the concentration camps, it was to late to fight back, and it tok 12 year, and a totally destroyed Germany, to stop the regime once and for all.. I really hope the same is not the case here. And that the United States of America can survive, as a democratic State. And that no concentration camps are to bee build.. But it is many dark cloud over your head, and I really fear, that United States are into some horrible thing.. This is just one case, who are known. How many others are there, who are NOT been known?. Who ar been tortured, murdered and been treated this way?.. In germany it was in the 100 of thousands in the 1930s.. The same in Russia where the Secret Police NKVD (the later KGB) was using tools you usually believed to be a thing of the past.. As in the middle ages.. And no one was secure for not been arrested, tortured, and murdered..

And the same case is coming to light in US.. USA, who claim to be that power full, and fearless, are been treated as cowards, and are acting As cowards when they just let this happened.. United States of America are not "the home of the brave, the home of the free".. But rater fearfully, and cowards who just do as the government say.. And then they try to teach other to "the same as we do"...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad English, not my native language

[Disturbed]

25. The destruction of these tapes was a Cover Up.

There were many Crimes committed & the tapes were proof of those Crimes, plus the destruction of these tapes was a Crime.

[Diclotican]

29. Disturbed

Disturbed

Off course. Everyone was understanding that.. Everyone...

But I am convinced that the truth Will come out, sooner or later. I do believe i exist pictures and movies who shall given the current administration all type of problems, if they just was surfacing.. As others pictures from Abu Girab and the other "prisoner" have given the current administration... A picture tell a lot. A movie would even give the american public heart attack and open up the truth for a public who are not used to the idea of american torture others... Many still believe that US have a "special place in the world"... I don't.


Diclotican

Sorry my bad English not my native language

[lonestarnot]

27. fucking sick about sums it up.

:puke:

[spanone]

30. kicked and nominated

[LSK]

31. K&R

[ninkasi]

34. Bush is a criminal

He should be tried at the Hague for his many war crimes. Americans who are so craven, so cowardly, that they are willing to give up their Constitutional rights are pathetic. Do they imagine that they ,and their loved ones, will always be safe from the fascist government they are enabling?

When the day comes that they are targeted, it will be too late to protest. I would be ashamed to be a conservative.

[libodem]

35. This has pissed me off from the beginning

The three guys the CIA hijacked were 'involved' in a Muslim charity, for god's sake. The CIA has no business messing with American citizens. That's why Frank Church was so adamant about keeping the FBI and the CIA separate. Now we can be spied on by everyone at all times. Jesus. I think the numbnuts have so much money, power and toys, they don't know what to with it all. They need to create suspects so they have a reason to keep getting more money and power. They don't have enough people to 'practice' on. Plus they are being whipped up from the top to find someone, anyone, to justify all the Nazi tactics, and keep the threat alive. All I can say is run, Mexicans, run, while you still can. I fear for your detention and torture. They can't find anybody else or any better reason, than that you are working here, off the tax records.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

36. * *

In military detention, Padilla was made to sleep on a metal cot, subjected to hooding, stress positions, assaults, threats of imminent execution, and the administration of “truth serums,” according to his lawyer. Padilla was not even allowed a lawyer.


In BOLD - I have heard of a Citizen who this is happening to that isn't even under "Detention."
Though the floor has been used instead of a metal cot.

[Solly Mack]

37. K&R

Thanks for posting

[ScooterFibby]

38. The problem here is that Padilla was eventually convicted

... on other charges.

So the government can arrest and hold Americans in solitary for years for one reason, then change the charges at the last minute.

This is what the Rethuglicans support.

[ray of light]

39. No--I believe he pled guilty to LESSER charges.

It's like them charging you with murder (a felony) but you plead guilty for manslauter instead.

[sniffa]

41. no, that's not true

they charged him with something else, and he did not plead guilty.

the guy's a shell of his former self now, and despite not being competent to assist his attorneys, he tried and sentenced.