King Obama Signs Indefinite Detention

New Year's Eve saw President Barack Obama sign a bill allowing indefinite detention of Americans without charge or trial.  Give the man his King George crown.

"2012 is going to be a better year. It has to be," said one New Year's reveler.

Nothing has to be, not in the global race to the bottom.  2012 is the new 1776.

Update 1-1-12:  Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) voted yes on the the bill King Obama signed.   Only four Texas Congressional reps voted no or did not vote.  Congressman Ron Paul missed the vote on Dec. 14.  Did Congress sign its own arrest warrants?

Update 1-29-12:  Reporter Chris Hedges filed a lawsuit challenging indefinite detention of U.S. citizens.  Meanwhile, America's federal government continued usurping individual freedom via Homeland Secuity's targeting anonymous free speech, one of many freedom reduction targets.  Washington Blog reported "DHS has hired and instructed General Dynamics to monitor political dissent and the dissenters. The range of websites listed as being monitored is quite impressive."

U.S. Israel Set Triggers for War

What war will launch first, Israel's Round 2 on Gaza or Uncle Sam's blistering of Iran's military and nuclear capabilities?  Three years ago President Elect Obama sat on his backside as Israel pummeled Gaza.  This time he'll be in the Commander in Chief's seat, i.e. chief world tamperer.   

Decisions are made by these people like Panetta, Hillary, Donilon at the national Security Council and General Petraeus. And I think this is a very aggressive group right now.

Is Thomas Jefferson Rolling in His Grave?

Much changed between the third President of the United States and the forty fourth.  President Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, would decry the hackles placed on citizens by the federal government.  The war on terror would allow Americans in the U.S. to be detained indefinitely, renditioned, sent to Guantanamo Bay, or assassinated. 

"The oppressed should rebel, and they will continue to rebel and raise disturbance until their civil rights are fully restored to them and all partial distinctions, exclusions and incapacitations are removed." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Religion, 1776. Papers 1:548

"As revolutionary instruments (when nothing but revolution will cure the evils of the State) [secret societies] are necessary and indispensable, and the right to use them is inalienable by the people." --Thomas Jefferson to William Duane, 1803. FE 8:256

The Executive Branch claims the right to label Americans as terrorists and dispose of them in the manner seen fit by the President.  Sounds King Georgish.  Congress paired with President Obama on this move, purposefully excluding court remedies for U.S. citizens.

Update 1-29-12:  Obama's Executive Branch decided the Supreme Court's right to anonymous free speech does not apply.  Homeland Security is in the business of monitoring dissent, through contractor General Dynamics.  I wondered why General Dynamics showed up in my blog readers.

Israel Still Building: U.S. Support Implicit

As Israel announced settlement expansion of over 1,000 homes, President Obama bragged of his Israel bona fides.  Not even a faint protest to echo the long sounding refrain...

Update 12-21-11:  Top Jewish fundraisers stick with Obama.  Does this give Israel a free pass?

Ehud Barak's War Framing

Haaretz reported:

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak suggested that the Libyan conflict could have taken a different course if Muammar Gadhafi had declared at the outset that "he has three or four nuclear devices."

Gadhafi gave up his nuclear aspirations in return for legitimacy from the West.  Gadhafi hired D.C. based lobbying firms, while money men courted Libya's cheap oil and billions for investing.  Western politicians like Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson freed the Lockerbie bomber in return for oil deals.

So what is Barak trying to do with his fiction?  He's saying Iranians won't have their Persian Spring if Iran gets a handful of nuclear devices.  When he wasn't joking about female soldiers singing, Barak went on to say the clock is ticking.

Earlier this month, Barak said that an Israeli attack on Iran was not imminent. He has also said there were several months left in which to decide on such action.

For those keeping track of the PNAC score, here it is:

Iraq - check
Libya - check
Syria - in process
Iran - up next
North Korea - nobody wants it, no oil.

Gaza is back on Israel's radar.  They did discover oil and gas offshore.

Update 3-19-24:  The current razing of Gaza prompted a suggestion from Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner that waterfront property be developed.  Of course the Palestinians would have to go.  Does that mean offshore oil/gas rights go to the new waterfront property holders?