----- From: norgesen To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 7:14 AM Subject: Army Brigade Assigned to U.S. May Violate Posse Comitatus Act
Army Brigade Assigned to U.S. May Violate Posse Comitatus Act The Posse Comitatus Act, passed in 1878 after the end of Reconstruction, prohibits the deployment of the U.S. military inside the U.S. While exceptions exist for the National Guard and Coast Guard and special circumstances (such as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), presidents have long respected this law. However, the Army Times recently reported that on October 1, the Army 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team began a year-long assignment in the U.S. Their purpose while on duty here at home is "to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities." The unit will also have access to new technology: "crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them." The deployment of this unit inside the homeland, in apparent violation of a 130-year-old statute that places essential limits on executive power, is disturbing and likely illegal. For further analysis, read Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! blog post and Glenn Greenwald's Salon.com column on the issue. ~~~ Bush Approves New Surveillance Law, Ignores Privacy Concerns On September 30, President Bush signed into law yet another privacy-violating surveillance program. The controversial new program, named the National Applications Office (NAO), "is designed to provide federal, state and local officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery." However, the Government Accountability Office issued a report stating that it "lacks assurance that NAO operations will comply with applicable laws and privacy and civil liberties standards." Specifically, the report indicates that the program does not have sufficient controls in place to ensure that data are not used improperly or that data requests will be properly reviewed for legality. Despite these problems, the Department of Homeland Security says that the program violates no existing laws, and it is beginning the first phase of the program. For more information, read the Wall Street Journal's report on the new spy program. __._,_.___ Complete archives at http://www.sitbot.net/ __,_._,___ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ShadowGovernment" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/ShadowGovernment -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
