George W. Bush in 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want To Read, by Jesse Ventura

On Homeland Security: Post-9-11: authorized attacks on terrorists amid civilians

After 9/11, Bush's Justice Dept. wrote up a long memo with the subject line: "Authority for Use of Military Force to Combat Terrorist Activities Within the US." The whole concept basically shreds our Bill of Rights. In short, "constitutional rules regulating law enforcement activity are not applicable." The military could even "attack civilian targets where suspected terrorists were thought to be." And later, "First Amendment speech and press rights may also be subordinated to the overriding need to wage war successfully."

Where does it say that, if you call something "terrorism," the Constitution and the Bill of Rights can be made null and void? All they've got to do is say the word and they can put you under surveillance without a warrant. To me, this smacks of an attack on the foundations of democracy that plays right into the HANDS of terrorists. It also sets a precedent for the kinds of tactics we went to see at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and elsewhere.

Source: 63 Documents, by Gov. Jesse Ventura, p.250 Apr 4, 2011

On Homeland Security: Geneva convention does not apply to al Qaeda & Taliban

A few months after September 11, President Bush sent out a "mass memo" that lays out why the al Qaeda and Taliban detainees were "unlawful combatants" and so the Geneva Convention calling for humane treatment of POWs did not apply to them. Well, if they're not covered by an international agreement, shouldn't they be covered by the laws of the United States and our Constitution and Bill of Rights? My point being, this situation has to fall under SOMEBODY'S law. Bush wrote:

I accept the legal constitution that none of the provisions of Geneva apply to our conflict with al Qaeda in Afghanistan or elsewhere throughout the world because among other reasons, al Qaeda is not a High Contracting Party to Geneva.
I determine that he Taliban detainees are unlawful combatants and, therefore, do not qualify as prisoners of war.

Source: 63 Documents, by Gov. Jesse Ventura, p.260-262 Apr 4, 2011

The above quotations are from 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want To Read by Gov. Jesse Ventura. Click here for other excerpts from 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want To Read by Gov. Jesse Ventura. Click here for other excerpts by George W. Bush. Click here for a profile of George W. Bush.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 12, 2018