Warning: Reading This May Cause Spontaneous Cranial Detonation

Brian Zick

In a piece headlined "On Prosecuting Detainees," R. Jeffrey Smith in WaPo writes about "a draft bill detailing procedures the administration is considering for bringing to trial those it captures in the war on terrorism, including some stark diversions from regular trial procedures." (This might generously be described as an "understatement.") The draft states that using the federal courts or existing military court-martial procedures to try suspects in the war on terrorism -- described formally as "alien enemy combatants" -- is "impracticable" because they are committed to destroying the country and abusing its legal processes. Or in other words, the Bush administration wants to dispose of "regular trial procedures" expressly because that's exactly what the alleged bad guys are committed to doing. The doctrine of "Preemptive Tyranny."

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Illustrated cover of Gaza issue. Illustration shows an illustrated representation of Gaza, sohwing crowded buildings surrounded by a wall on three sides. Above the buildings is the sun, with light shining down. Above the sun is a white bird. Text below the city says: All Eyes on Gaza
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