“The Butcher of Ramadi” and Patriot Act

[BigGator5]

The Butcher of Ramadi, turned in by Iraqis

Amir Khalaf Fanus, also known in the Ramadi area as “the Butcher,” was wanted for criminal activities including murder and kidnapping, Captain Jeffrey Pool said in a statement from the town, located 70 miles west of Baghdad.

...

“His capture is another indication that the local citizens tire of the insurgents’ presence within their community.”

Very good on Iraqis turning in that a-hole.

Patriot Act is Reauthorize

Congressional negotiators reached a deal on renewing the USA Patriot Act, a collection of laws passed in the weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks to enhance domestic security.

The White House lauded the reauthorization bill as an important step in safeguarding Americans against future acts of terror.

"This bill reauthorizes every single provision of the Patriot Act and makes 14 of the 16 provisions permanent," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

I am happy that the Patriot Act has been reauthorize. Also, I am glade they put new controls on the "sneak-and-peek" search warrants.

[Three PhDs]

It's interesting that an act which strips away freedoms from a people who know their country as "The land of the free" is named Patriot Act of all things.

[walterIsTheMan]

There is still no judicial oversight on the FBI's National Security Letters. The Patriot Act endangers too many freedoms. It's reminiscent of the Star Wars universe, where the Senate voted powers to the Chancellor to "protect" them from the Separatists.

[Samuel J. Tilden]

I am happy that the Patriot Act has been reauthorize. Also, I am glade they put new controls on the "sneak-and-peek" search warrants.

It hasn't been reauthorized quite yet as Congress has yet to even vote on it. Unfortunately, it should pass quite handily. It's an unfortunate piece of legislation although not nearly as revolutionary or onerous as its critics would contend.

[ToasterOnFire]

Well, I'm off to the library to check out as many books on bombs, nuclear weapons, biochemical weapons, terrorism, Osama bin Laden, Sadam Hussein, and Islam as I can. Hell, I might as well throw some Communism and anarchy books in there for good measure, as well as anything that is somehow considered a dire threat to the American way.

[BigGator5]

Ha-ha! You guys are too funny.

[FeloniousMonk]

It's interesting that an act which strips away freedoms from a people who know their country as "The land of the free" is named Patriot Act of all things.

Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001

We Americans love our acronyms.


While there have been quite a few terrorists apprehended and some horrible events prevented (including the destruction of a bridge in NYC), the act is still a step toward subverting our civil liberties. I know two people who's lives were ruined because they were investigated for possible connections to terrorist cells. Both were found to be completely innocent yet have zero legal recourse for wrongful imprisonment, defamation of character and violation of fourth and fifth ammendment rights.

There is still no judicial oversight on the FBI's National Security Letters. The Patriot Act endangers too many freedoms. It's reminiscent of the Star Wars universe, where the Senate voted powers to the Chancellor to "protect" them from the Separatists.

Considering your views on the second ammendment, I find this coming from you to be especially ironic.

edit: please note, no offense was intended. I was merely amused

[walterIsTheMan]

Well, I'm off to the library to check out as many books on bombs, nuclear weapons, biochemical weapons, terrorism, Osama bin Laden, Sadam Hussein, and Islam as I can. Hell, I might as well throw some Communism and anarchy books in there for good measure, as well as anything that is somehow considered a dire threat to the American way.

And if you're not allowed to check out those books then you've lost the very freedoms that make us different than the terrorists.

[TameFarrar]

What I find interesting is that you are not hearing to much about this on the news shows. If it is not entertaining people tune out. *Sigh* unfortunately, as they *Tune out* their rights will slip away right under their nose.

[Samuel J. Tilden]

What I find interesting is that you are not hearing to much about this on the news shows.

Government infringes on our rights every day in thousands of different ways. To chronicle them all would be an exercise in futility. The annual budget, which piles on billions of dollars of debt that's not getting paid down anytime soon, is a much greater threat to liberty than the modest expansion of law enforcement power provided for in the PATRIOT Act.

Why people have chosen one piece of unconstitutional legislation out of hundreds that pass through Congress every year is beyond me. I suspect it has a lot more to do with political agendas than a genuine concern for liberty.

[Madeleine]

Why people have chosen one piece of unconstitutional legislation out of hundreds that pass through Congress every year is beyond me.

It's cos there are so many pieces of stupid legislation about that campaigning against all of them would ebe too much for any soul. So if a person's going to kick up a righteous fuss it's going to do the most good to do it in the direction that lots of other people are kicking up their own righteous fusses.

[Three PhDs]

I wish there was one good American with the balls to stand up and say enough is enough. I wish I was American actually, so I could do it.

[FeloniousMonk]

Government infringes on our rights every day in thousands of different ways. To chronicle them all would be an exercise in futility. The annual budget, which piles on billions of dollars of debt that's not getting paid down anytime soon, is a much greater threat to liberty than the modest expansion of law enforcement power provided for in the PATRIOT Act.

Why people have chosen one piece of unconstitutional legislation out of hundreds that pass through Congress every year is beyond me. I suspect it has a lot more to do with political agendas than a genuine concern for liberty.

Because most of them get shot down and most of them don't have such a sweeping effect on the population as a whole. What other legislation has been passed in the recent years as damaging as the Patriot Act? The last thing I can think of was the highly illegal DMCA.

I wish there was one good American with the balls to stand up and say enough is enough. I wish I was American actually, so I could do it.

There are plenty of Americans willing but very few with the resources to do so. The only option for most is to align with an organization that fights for civil rights...unfortunately the biggest one, the ACLU, also has a habit of supporting child molestation and turns a blind eye to the fight against the second ammendment.

[ToasterOnFire]

And if you're not allowed to check out those books then you've lost the very freedoms that make us different than the terrorists.

Oh, I think I'm still allowed to check them out. It just means that now the men in black will be tapping my phone calls, checking out my place when I'm gone, and monitoring what I'm doing on the computer. Like...writing this post right now...

Because most of them get shot down and most of them don't have such a sweeping effect on the population as a whole. What other legislation has been passed in the recent years as damaging as the Patriot Act? The last thing I can think of was the highly illegal DMCA.

At least the Patriot Act created some kind of media buzz. I doubt the average person on the street has the slightest clue as to the existance of the DMCA, much less what it entails.

[Samuel J. Tilden]

Because most of them get shot down and most of them don't have such a sweeping effect on the population as a whole.

Shot down? By whom? Bush is the first full-term president since John Quincy Adams never to veto a bill. The Supreme Court doesn't do much either.

What other legislation has been passed in the recent years as damaging as the Patriot Act? The last thing I can think of was the highly illegal DMCA.

Sarbanes-Oxley, Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, and No Child Left Behind to name a few from the Bush years. Going back a bit further there's the Brady Bill and Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act from Clinton. I would also characterize every budget for at least the last twenty years as similarly damaging.

So if a person's going to kick up a righteous fuss it's going to do the most good to do it in the direction that lots of other people are kicking up their own righteous fusses.

That's a good point, although I think that "enemy of my enemy is my friend" rationalizations can only be taken so far in the realm of politics.