Obama Signs Controversial Defense Bill

[Rageaholic]

Just before the new year!

I'm confused on exactly what this bill entails, what parts have been revised, and a lot of the legal language and bureaucracy.

From what I gather, this is a bill to give the military more power over terror suspects. Good idea in theory, but it's not clear on who will be considered a suspect. There are parts of the bill which allow for indefinate detention without trail. President Obama says he will not authorize that part of the bill. The big concern is that while Obama may not authorize that, a future president might. He also had "reservations" about signing the bill, but did it anyway.

While I'm confused on some details, I think this was a dick move on Obama's part.

[Hyena Dandy]

I suspect it's because the Defense Authorization bill is a standard thing that needs to get passed for government to work. It's just got this toxic part in it. Obama's saying he won't use it, but I suspect someone else will.

The President can't give a line-item veto, so he basically had to pass it, or we're going to not have any defense money. He also probably recognized that unlike the SOPA/PIPA thing, his veto will probably just result in it being passed over his head.

[protege]

Obama's saying he won't use it, but I suspect someone else will.

Obama has said a lot of things--closing Gitmo, bringing our troops home--yet hasn't acted on them yet

[Greenday]

bringing our troops home

Like those from Iraq?

[Panacea]

Obama has said a lot of things--closing Gitmo, bringing our troops home--yet hasn't acted on them yet

He tried to close Gitmo. He had nowhere to send the prisoners; every Congressman screamed bloody murder at the idea of allowing terrorists on US soil, even though the local prisons could have used the cash infusions for security they would have provided, and even though we already have super max prisons that are already more secure than Gitmo is. It's a psychological thing.

Obama brought the troops from Iraq home. Afghanistan's troops will be home this year.

The bill in question is a defense appropriations bill. It's a routine bill that gives money to the military. The GOP controlled House added language that is very strict on military detentions and is blatantly unconstitutional because it is applied to US citizens on US soil. The provisions are stupid and will create problems.

Obama is saying he'll refuse to spend the money to fund those provisions. He may issue an Executive Order, forbidding the military from implementing it and ordering civilian Federal Law enforcement to continue handling things they way they have up to now.

However, a new President could change that.

Those provisions need to be repealed but it won't happen unless we get a Democratic controlled Congress to fix it.

[protege]

Afghanistan's troops will be home this year.

Some of them, yes. However, Obama has hinted that full withdrawal won't come until 2014.

[Greenday]

Some of them, yes. However, Obama has hinted that full withdrawal won't come until 2014.

I'm pretty skeptical of a full withdrawal from here to be honest.