By Javier Manjarres
Three Republican members of Florida’s congressional delegation- Allen West, David Rivera and Tom Rooney will be offering up their own amendments to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Rooney, a former military prosecutor in the Army JAG Corps is proposing an amendment which will require detainees currently held at Guantanamo Bay to be tried by military commissions in courtrooms on the premises.
“Military tribunals are a better option to try terrorist detainees than Article III (federal) courts, because they provide due process while protecting critical, often confidential, intelligence officials and evidence. The constitutional and legal standards for evidence-gathering and prosecution in a civilian case just aren’t adequate for trying enemy combatants in a time of war.
“I could not disagree more strongly with those who say foreign terrorists caught on the battlefield should receive the same rights and privileges as American citizens. As a former military prosecutor, I strongly believe that trying detainees in military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay is the best way to hold terrorists accountable, keep them off American soil, and prevent them from rejoining the fight.”- Congressman Tom Rooney
During an interview with Congressman Allen West in his Washington D.C. office, West explained the purpose of the NDAA but warned that the U.S. Military was being “taken in the wrong direction.” West also stated that the U.S. has a “horrible diminished influence” in the international community due to the violation of the War Powers Act by President Obama when he authorized military action in Libya.
West agrees that Obama and his foreign policy “can be threatening to the future stability and security of the United States of America.”
Watch Congressman West’s interview here-
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8 Responses to “Florida’s Congressional Republicans Offer NDAA Amendments”
CIVILIAN LAWYERS HAVE NO BUSINESS IN A MILITARY TRIAL AS THEY WILL
EXPOSE INFOMATION THAT NEEDS NOT GET OUT.. TOUGH LUCK FOR THOSE WHO
ARE TERRORIST AN WOULD LIKE TO KILL US, THEY NEED THE SAME TRIAL AS
WE WOULD GET IF CAUGHT IN THERE COUNTRY DOING THE SAME. WE DO NOT NEED LIBERAL LAWYERS TELLING US HOW THE MILITARY SHOULD TRY WAR OR TERRORIST. NOR FEDERAL COURTS SHOULD BE INVOLED IN MILITARY TRIALS.
Rep’s West and Rooney are categorically correct in supporting the military tribunals for these Islamo-Fascists. It’s about time we did something about our own leftist government and bring justice to these terrorists. This is no different than the trials of Nuremburg when Nazis were tried and justice delivered to them on the end of a rope.
Jihadists will get their day in court, in a Military Tribunal Court at that, and I believe we can send a statement to the world that we will NOT tolerate these monsters. Muslims are NOT persecuted around the world, THEY are, without a doubt, the terrorists who are PERSECUTING the innocent.
How about adding an amendment that repeals the ability for the President to arrest American citizens without due process which violates our 4th Amendment right of due process if the President “thinks” we are a threat?
BTW, I was very disturbed to see you voted for this bill Congressman West–actually stunned is more appropriate. I thought you promised to defend our Constitutional rights. This makes me wonder.
Couldn’t agree more with you! I was actually quite disturbed to see so many republicans vote to give this man more power; it’s misplaced with this president. He does wahat he wants to do, legal or not.
Allen West, whom I have more respect than for others disappointed me even more having voted for this.
Found this sight looking to see what Florida was doing about the NDAA. VERY disturbed to see that Rep West voted for it. Quoting way2confused because this voices my own thoughts exactly: BTW, I was very disturbed to see you voted for this bill Congressman West–actually stunned is more appropriate. I thought you promised to defend our Constitutional rights. This makes me wonder.
We are at war, against enemies foreign and domestic, and ROE are spelled out by law. America is a battlefield since 9/11, and if you consort with enemies who are trying to kill us you should be dealt with as an enemy combatant captured on any other battle field. You should be killed or held until the war is over as all other POW’s in the most recent wars have been held. Kudos for Rep. Allen West, because he is true to his word. Islam is the enemy.
Strangely enough the same people who decide you are a terrorist or helping terrorists are the ones who detain you without trial. And there have intimated that terrorists can be id’d by paying cash, supporting particular parties or candidates and/or having a pro-life bumper sticker.
It is amazing to see the constitution sideline so easily by people who claim to be its defenders.
The constitution and BoR was written to protect against threats like these in times like this.
The most dangerous domestic enemies are the ones who voted for this law. The standard technique for destroying a democracy is to use an “emergency” to justify repealing the civil rights of citizens. It worked to Hitler and Marcos and it is happening now in the US.