Bush and war crimes

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I have not read the decision, but wonder why a military cannot make a distinction between a legitimate prisoner of war as opposed to noncitizens threatening our country out of terror. The distinction is clear to me, and threatening noncitizens who are not making war but merely killing does not concern me as much as far as civil liberties of citizens or legitimate prisoners of war.

Noncitizens who have not entered this country, who have not paid taxes should not receive the same protections as our citizens.

I think you are very misinformed on this issue. Some of the individuals being treated as illegal combatants are American citizens who were caught on American soil (see, for example, Padilla). Even if that were not the case, your tax language is peculiar. Is paying taxes what gives you your rights? I think the founding fathers would have strongly disagreed with your views.

Your view assumes that our rights flow from our government, rather than being inalienable rights inherent from our existence. If our rights flow from our government, then our government is just in removing our "rights."

Government has the power to coerce in order to maintain order (thus protecting our rights against infringement from others). Not paying taxes can result in a diminishment of our rights, it should NEVER result in an extinguishment of our rights.

This post makes you sound like a bit of a socialist! I am surprised at you.