--- In [email protected], Bhairitu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > peterklutz wrote: > > >From the International Herald Tribune: > > http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/19/opinion/edlaw.php > > > > Making martial law easier > > > > A disturbing recent phenomenon in Washington is that laws that strike > > to the heart of American democracy have been passed in the dead of > > night. So it was with a provision quietly tucked into the enormous > > defense budget bill at the Bush administration's behest that makes it > > easier for a president to override local control of law enforcement > > and declare martial law. > > > > The provision, signed into law in October, weakens two obscure but > > important bulwarks of liberty. One is the doctrine that bars military > > forces, including a federalized National Guard, from engaging in law > > enforcement. Called posse comitatus, it was enshrined in law after the > > Civil War to preserve the line between civil government and the > > military. The other is the Insurrection Act of 1807, which provides > > the major exemptions to posse comitatus. It essentially limits a > > president's use of the military in law enforcement to putting down > > lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion, where a state is violating > > federal law or depriving people of constitutional rights. > > > > The newly enacted provisions upset this careful balance. They shift > > the focus from making sure that federal laws are enforced to restoring > > public order. > > > > Beyond cases of actual insurrection, the president may now use > > military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural > > disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any "other > > condition." > > > > Changes of this magnitude should be made only after a thorough public > > airing. But these new presidential powers were slipped into the law > > without hearings or public debate. The president made no mention of > > the changes when he signed the measure, and neither the White House > > nor Congress consulted in advance with the country's governors. > > There is a bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy, > > Democrat of Vermont, and Christopher Bond, Republican of Missouri, and > > backed unanimously by the nation's governors, that would repeal the > > stealthy revisions. Congress should pass it. If changes of this kind > > are proposed in the future, they must get a full and open debate. > These days in the US cops look more like they are ready for action in > Baghdad than peace officers. Pretty soon they'll look like the > stormtroopers in Star Wars. It's all a bit silly I think. >
The planet appears littered with US-wannabe countries whose police forces seem to have had their equipment designed by American TV police series affecionades. That's the real enemy - Hollywood!
