vision2020
Re: Unalienable rights
- To: Douglas <dougwils@moscow.com>, vision2020@moscow.com
- Subject: Re: Unalienable rights
- From: thansen@moscow.com
- Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 18:11:48 GMT
- Resent-Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 09:49:47 -0800 (PST)
- Resent-From: vision2020@moscow.com
- Resent-Message-ID: <EqBhC.A.hUB.5ki99@whale2.fsr.net>
- Resent-Sender: vision2020-request@moscow.com
Greetings Visionaires -
If you had been following the news these past few months, you would have noted
that Congress has recently (near the end of last month) granted George W
virtual Carte Blanche as far as the "War on Terror" is concerned (and this
includes Iraq). What Congress has "stated" is that President George may take
what action he feels appropriate in his pursuit on the war against terrorism.
This vote by Congress strengthened George W's standing with the United Nations'
Security Council, as well as the General Council, against Iraq's development of
weapons of mass destruction.
If all pans out well, George W will look like a hero to the free world. If
not, it will get very very ugly, very very quick.
Just hoping for a smooth ride,
Tom Hansen
Moscow
> <html>
> Dear visionaries,<br><br>
> Here is the problem. The oath taken by those who serve in the military
> involves defending the Constitution of the United States against all
> enemies, whether foreign or domestic. We are certainly going to war in
> Iraq, and we are doing so in order to accomplish "regime
> change." This is a traditional war, in the old-fashioned sense of
> the word. Any attempt to do this without an express declaration of war on
> the part of Congress is therefore unconstitutional. Congress, and only
> Congress, declares war. It is not the prerogative of the
> commander-in-chief. It is not the prerogative of the United Nations.
> Congress declares war. The Constitution does permit the president to some
> sorts of limited military action without such a declaration (e.g. Barbary
> pirates, bin-Laden), but to overthrow the government of another sovereign
> nation without a declaration of war is constitutional impudence, plain
> and simple.<br><br>
> I happen to believe that a case for legitimate war against Saddam
> <i>could </i>be made. But we aren't making it. And the case we are making
> threatens our few remaining constitutional freedoms as much as anything
> Saddam is doing. The culprits? Who thrashed the Constitution? All the
> progressives who show up for the march should make a point of marching on
> themselves. They are the ones who have fought for, and achieved, an
> elastic Constitution. "It's a <i>living </i>document, you see . .
> .." Arms don't mean arms, speech doesn't mean speech, rights don't
> mean rights, and Congress doesn't mean Congress.<br><br>
> All is not lost, however. Some elements of the Constitution are still
> obeyed. We still have two senators from every state.<br><br>
> Cordially,<br><br>
> <br>
> Douglas Wilson<br>
> </html>
>
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