A new bill introduced by Senator John McCain (R of Arizona), S.3081, would allow the U.S. government to detain American citizens “indefinitely” if you are deemed a threat.
The “Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010,” which is cosponsored by 8 Republicans and 1 Independent, allows for the indefinite detention in military custody if you are deemed a “High-Value Detainee.” You may think this would be used only for terrorists. You would be wrong. The definition of a “High-Value Detainee” is as follows
“The regulations required by this subsection shall include criteria for designating an individual as a high-value detainee based on the following:
(1) poses a threat of an attack on civilians or civilian facilities within the U.S. or U.S. facilities abroad; (2) poses a threat to U.S. military personnel or U.S. military facilities; (3) potential intelligence value; (4) is a member of al Qaeda or a terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda or (5) such other matters as the President considers appropriate.”
“(O)r such other matters as the President considers appropriate”… wow. A little broad there, McCain.
So, what happens if you are a “High-Value Detainee?” Read Section 5.
An individual, including a citizen of the United States, determined to be an unprivileged enemy belligerent under section 3(c)(2) in a manner which satisfies Article 5 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War may be detained without criminal charges and without trial for the duration of hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners in which the individual has engaged, or which the individual has purposely and materially supported, consistent with the law of war and any authorization for the use of military force provided by Congress pertaining to such hostilities.
A citizen of the United States… my be detained without criminal charges and without trial. Am I the only one in shock? I certainly hope not.
So, who has sponsored this lovely gem of legislation? Would you be surprised if I told you the great conservative hope, Senator Scott Brown (R of Massachusetts) was one of them? The people who voted for Scott Brown should be ashamed, when they had a true liberty candidate in Joe Kennedy to vote for.
This was also co-sponsored by Senator Joseph Lieberman (I of Connecticut) and Senator Roger Wicker (R of Mississippi). See the full list of Senators who are ignoring their oath the defend the Constitution here.
You can also read the entire text of the bill here.
I cannot fathom how John McCain, former POW in Vietnam, can author a bill that gives the U.S. government the ability to hold American citizens indefinitely.
