In wartime, this lawyer has got Bush's back

To his shrillest student critics, UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo — a mild-mannered, cherubically baby-faced academic who gravitates toward the driest of legal treatises and the sharpest of suits — incarnates the banality of evil. Yoo has been accused of being a war criminal. Cursed out in public. Escorted by security from a UC Irvine auditorium. Warned by Berkeley police, last spring, that it might not be safe to appear on a law school panel.

"That was pretty wild," acknowledged Yoo, the author of a new book, "The Powers of War and Peace." "That was the most out-of-control thing that ever happened to me."

.......

And even some of Yoo's fellow conservative intellectuals are disturbed by his contention that President Bush has the constitutional power to unilaterally start a war. Yoo has been in perpetual hot water since the revelation that he helped draft a controversial memo in 2002 — he was a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general at the time — that narrowly defined torture as suffering "equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death."

.......

Although the Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to "declare" war, that wording doesn't mean the president needs to consult Congress to "make war" or "commence war," Yoo's book says.

Yoo's critics say this relegates Congress to the role of an ambassador making a courtesy call: Excuse me, in case you hadn't noticed, we're bombing you to smithereens.



http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-et-yoo12dec12,1,367939.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

these idiots are all pro-war and pro-torture until someone brings the war here or starts torturing our civilians up to and including major organ failure, such as heart or brain due to skull bashed in.

You know what we used to call that? Mentally Ill.

These people are mentally ill. They're sociopaths, and they're doubly damned dangerous because we don't put them in institutions and keep them hopped up and drooling on lithium until brain transplant technology improves.

"striking out 'make' war; leaving to the Executive the power to repel sudden attacks.

Mr. Sharman thought it stood very well. The Executive should be able to repel and not commence war. 'Make' better than 'declare,' the latter narrowing the power too much.

Mr. Gerry never expected to hear in a republic a motion to empower the Executive alone to declare war.

Mr. Elsworth. there is a material difference between the cases of making war and making peace. It should be more easy to get out of war, than into it. War is also a simple and overt declaration. peace attended with intricate & secret negotiations.

Mr Madison was against giveing thte power of war to the Executive, because not safely to be trusted with it; or to the Senate, because not so constructed as to be entitled to it. He was for clogging rather than facilitating war; but for facilitating peace. He preferred 'declare' to 'make.'

On the motion to insert declare - in place of make, it was agreed to.

N.H. no. Mas. abst. Cont. no. Pa. ay. Md. ay. Va. ay. N.C. ay. S.C. ay. Geo. ay."

- from Notes of the Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 Reported by James Madison.

Look at the lies that these right-wing extremists are spreading. If you care about the McCain amendment I hope you will send emails, make phone calls or send faxes to Congress to counter this destructive fax campaign below. I also hope you will post this information in other places to get out the word. Thanks.

Dear NewsMax Reader:

Below is a special message from our friends at The Center For Individual Freedom. Please take a few moments to read their very important message.


Thank you.

NewsMax.com

Dear Friend:

"Sen. John McCain... said Sunday he will refuse to yield on his demands that the White House agree with his proposed ban on the use of torture to extract information from suspected terrorists."

"'I won't,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' when asked whether he would compromise with the Bush administration. He is insisting on his language... "

- Associated Press -


McCain's comments were a slap in the face and they were directed at YOU!

As you know, several weeks ago, McCain snookered his Senate colleagues into approving an amendment to the defense appropriations bill, claiming that the amendment would prohibit torture against terrorists.

But McCain's FLAWED amendment does more than ?prohibit torture.' It prohibits legitimate interrogation techniques -- interrogation techniques that have foiled at least ten terrorist plots and have saved countless American lives.

When we alerted you to this dangerous McCain amendment -- YOU flooded Members of the Senate with your Blast Faxes -- demanding that they strip it from the bill.

And McCain heard you loud and clear -- his statement above is HIS direct response to YOUR hard work and efforts!

YOU called McCain on the negative consequences of his amendment. And, instead of admitting that it is flawed and could put American lives in grave danger, Senator McCain drew a line in the sand and dared you to respond.

American lives are at stake and we've come too far to lose this battle now.

That's why I'm asking you one last time to make your voice heard and demand that our legislators NOT cave in to the grandstanding of John McCain!

The Conference Committee vote on this amendment is expected any day now... so please make your voice heard RIGHT AWAY!



Use the hyperlink below to send your urgent Blast Fax messages to the Conference Committee considering this amendment. Tell them this is one of the most dangerous provisions ever to come before Congress.

Remind them that since 9/11 our intelligence forces have headed off a number of major plots to attack Americans on U.S. soil. Tell them you don't want the rules changed. If we do not defeat the McCain amendment, we'll play right into the hands of the most brutal and fanatic enemy America has ever faced.

http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html>http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html

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What Happens Next?

If the Congressional Conference Committee approves this amendment and the President signs it into law, the legislation could...

hurt the ability of the U.S. intelligence community to intercept and prevent terrorist plots;

prevent our military interrogators from being able to question suspected suicide bombers and murderers of women and children without the ACLU looking over their shoulder -- ready to haul them into court just because they yelled at a terrorist or hurt a terrorist's feelings;

generally speaking, just make it harder to prevent another 9/11-type attack!

Remember this: we haven't sustained a single attack on our homeland for more than four years! Not one attack since 9/11!

You know why? Because our worldwide intelligence network has uncovered and thwarted plot after plot to kill Americans, both at home and in other nations.

Don't let politicians in Washington change the rules to make it easier for hateful terrorists to kill American women and babies the way they did on 9/11.



Use the hyperlink below to send your urgent Blast Fax messages to the Conference Committee considering this amendment. Tell them this is one of the most dangerous provisions ever to come before Congress.

Remind them that since 9/11 our intelligence forces have headed off a number of major plots to attack Americans on U.S. soil. Tell them you don't want the rules changed. If we do not defeat the McCain amendment, we'll play right into the hands of the most brutal and fanatic enemy America has ever faced.

http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html>http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html

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What Exactly Is Going On Here?

Before the Senate voted 90-9 to pass Senator McCain's amendment, McCain told his colleagues and the American people that it was nothing more than a measure to clarify military regulations with regard to the interrogation of terrorists, and that it was designed to prevent instances of outright torture.

But the devil is in the details. If you actually read the text of the McCain amendment, I am sure you will agree that this DANGEROUS amendment should have never seen the light of day.

It reads in part...

"No individual in the custody or under the physical control of the United States Government, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment."

No cruel or inhuman treatment... that sounds reasonable... or does it?

The phrase "degrading treatment" is so vague and full of holes you could drive a Humvee through it.

Solitary confinement, harsh language, ridicule, mild threats, good-cop-bad-cop - McCain's amendment could outlaw all of these standard interrogation techniques and restrict interrogators to the etiquette of afternoon tea parties.

Make no mistake: Right now, terrorist are plotting to kill women and children all over the globe -- as well as launching sneak attacks on our troops -- and we're supposed to walk on egg shells when we try to find out which Americans they intend to kill next?

Exactly what are our troops suppose to do when questioning these terrorist thugs in an attempt to save American lives?

"Pretty please Mr. terrorist... I beg you...could you please tell us the details of your NEXT attack on innocent Americans?"



Use the hyperlink below to send your urgent Blast Fax messages to the Conference Committee considering this amendment. Tell them this is one of the most dangerous provisions ever to come before Congress.

Remind them that since 9/11 our intelligence forces have headed off a number of major plots to attack Americans on U.S. soil. Tell them you don't want the rules changed. If we do not defeat the McCain amendment, we'll play right into the hands of the most brutal and fanatic enemy America has ever faced.

http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html>http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html

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Terrorist Plots We Have Discovered And Thwarted...

Here are just three of the many terrorist plots American intelligence units have uncovered and thwarted...

In 2002, U.S. agents caught a group of terrorists planning to hijack aircraft and wreak more havoc on innocent Americans.

In 2002, a group of terrorists were plotting to bomb U.S. apartment buildings. They planned to use a dirty bomb - i.e., a conventional bomb filled with radioactive material. Didn't happen. U.S. intelligence agents discovered the plot. Under the McCain amendment, do you suppose their interrogation techniques included "degrading treatment"?

And in 2005, American intelligence operatives uncovered and foiled a plot to bomb New York subways. Were the interrogation methods used to stop this plot "degrading punishment"?

And, we've also stopped terrorists from committing atrocities elsewhere in the world.

In 2003, we helped to grab would-be hijackers before they could attack and destroy Heathrow Airport.

In 2004, we helped prevent two bombings in Britain. The terrorists were planning to target civilians.

We also exposed two plots to attack ships, one in the Arabian Gulf, the other in the Straits of Hormuz.



Use the hyperlink below to send your urgent Blast Fax messages to the Conference Committee considering this amendment. Tell them this is one of the most dangerous provisions ever to come before Congress.

Remind them that since 9/11 our intelligence forces have headed off a number of major plots to attack Americans on U.S. soil. Tell them you don't want the rules changed. If we do not defeat the McCain amendment, we'll play right into the hands of the most brutal and fanatic enemy America has ever faced.

http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html>http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html

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We Must Defeat the McCain Amendment Once and For All...

When CFIF alerted you to this amendment, your response was swift and powerful. In fact, we were almost certain that the McCain amendment was to be killed in Conference Committee.

But our job is not yet done. As I write this letter to you, left-wing organizations like the ACLU and their allies in the press are trying to "reframe" this debate -- making the FALSE claim that this amendment is nothing more than a prohibition against torture.

It's an outright lie, but our elected officials are feeling the heat and that's why it is imperative that we all speak in one resounding voice.

Intelligence gathering and the ability to properly interrogate terrorists who plan and participate in attacks is essential to the safety and well-being of each and every man, woman and child in America.

Yet Senator John McCain and a group of liberals in Congress want to take that ability away from us.

It is up to each and every one of us to stop them!

This McCain Amendment MUST be DEFEATED!



Use the hyperlink below to send your urgent Blast Fax messages to the Conference Committee considering this amendment. Tell them this is one of the most dangerous provisions ever to come before Congress.

Remind them that since 9/11 our intelligence forces have headed off a number of major plots to attack Americans on U.S. soil. Tell them you don't want the rules changed. If we do not defeat the McCain amendment, we'll play right into the hands of the most brutal and fanatic enemy America has ever faced.

http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html>http://www.cfiflistmanager.org/mccainamendmentnm.html

AOL Members Use This Hyperlink

If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.



Yours In Freedom,



Jeff Mazzella
President
www.cfif.org

P.S. It's crunch time! The Congressional Conference Committee could vote any day now and we need as many concerned Americans, like you and me, to blast fax all Members of the Conference Committee today.

Please help us by forwarding this e-mail to at least ten of your friends and family members. Urge them to join you in defeating the McCain Amendment today!

How many times can you repeat the image of murdered American woman and babies in one frickin' e-mail??

These people are sick.

All fear, all the time.

I never thought I would see the day when Americans would become snivelling cowards, afraid of the next big boogey man to leap out from behind the tree.

I never thought I would see the day that the American people were so afraid, that they needed a "dry-drunk, mama's boy, panty-waisted, Kenebunkport Cowboy" to shiver and cower behind.

Amercans: What a bunch of pansies!!!!

My slogan for next year. "Vote Democrat. We're Not Afraid"

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

succeeded in drawing out of the woodwork the largest amount of neo-fascists in recent history (since 1933). Anywhere.