House Gets Ready to Vote on New Worldwide War

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/house-gets-ready-vote-new-worldwide-war

As we blogged last week, a hugely important provision for Congress to authorize a new worldwide war has been tucked away inside the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill was marked up by members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) last Wednesday that poured into Thursday morning (2:45 a.m. to be exact).

A couple of minutes past midnight, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) offered an amendment to strike Sec. 1034 — the new authorization for worldwide war provision — from the NDAA. Visibly angry that such a large sweeping provision had not yet had any public hearing whatsoever, he vigorously characterized it as a very broad declaration of war.

Rep. Garamendi was very concerned by the limitless geographic boundaries of the provision. Essentially, it would enable the U.S. to use military force anywhere in the world (including within the U.S.) in search of terrorists.

He also alluded to the idea that the HASC might not have proper jurisdiction over such a provision in the first place, suggesting that it would be an issue for the House Foreign Affairs Committee to take up. Clearly, he was beyond troubled by the fact that this markup was the very first time either committee has discussed the provision.

More at the link --

[Taverner]

1. World War Three...how fitting. Can't wait for the Blue Dogs to defend this

"ooh! terror scares me! it makes the baby jesus cry!"

Or the classic "do you have any idea what you're talking about? nananananan I'm not listening to you nananananana!"

[Drale]

2. No human should have that power but

If I had that power, I would immediately arrest every republican on terrorist charges.