New Proposed Measure Assigns Power of Martial Law to the Executive
by S. Noble •
Mitch McConnell sneaked in a resolution – known as an authorization for the use of military force – on Wednesday night when all anyone could talk about was the blizzard traveling up the East coast.
The media was taken by surprise on Thursday morning.
The purpose is to authorize the president to fight ISIS though in some ways it will limit the next president but what is noteworthy about it is the fact that it does not limit his reach in terms of geography. The fear is that it allows martial law.
From Defense One:
The AUMF put forward by McConnell would not restrict the president’s use of ground troops, nor have any limits related to time or geography. Nor would it touch on the issue of what to do with the 2001 AUMF, which the Obama administration has used to attack ISIS despite that authorization’s instructions to use force against those who planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
ISIS is in the United States but we are not at a point where we need this extreme measure. Why give this power to this maniac in the White House?
The AUMF, known as “Rule XIV,” has not been placed on the calendar which means it could come up at any time and will. It’s being fast-tracked.
The resolution already has four Republican cosponsors: Sens. Lindsey Graham, Daniel Coats, Joni Ernst, and Orrin Hatch.
Some Democrats were critical of even the president’s own draft AUMF, warning that they’d need additional restrictions from the administration on troop levels and geographic boundaries before they could support any authorization, Defense One noted.
There is deep division over this bill and there will be debate. Hopefully they will specify to not include the US.
Obama has enough power to go after ISIS but refuses to do it. His rules of engagement have been absurd.
Boston officers search for the Boston bomber
The devil will be in the details.
Martial law has no precise meaning but it has common features – it contemplates military force; government military personnel have the authority to make and enforce civil and criminal laws; and civil liberties are suspended. Martial law was declared by Lincoln during the Civil War – Proclamation 113 – and our National Defense Authorization Act included a provision, now removed, which stripped U.S. citizens of their constitutional rights.
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