Even a ‘little old lady in Switzerland‘ who gave money unwittingly to extremists could end up in Guantanamo, judge is told by a federal official.

Could a “little old lady in Switzerland” who sent a check to an orphanage in Afghanistan be taken into custody if, unbeknownst to her, some of her donation was passed to Al Qaeda terrorists? asked U.S. District Judge Joyce Hens Green.

“She could,” replied Deputy Associate Atty. Gen. Brian Boyle. “Someone’s intention is clearly not a factor that would disable detention.”

This is simply an open door for the Bushies to imprison anyone anytime without proof or evidence. Another word for this is “fascist”, and that’s no exaggeration.

It get worse.

Boyle said the military could pick any foreigner who provided support to terrorists or might know of their plans. And the foreigners held on the U.S. naval base in Cuba “have no constitutional rights enforceable in this court,” Boyle told the judge.

You read that right. The US claims the right to jail anyone in Gitmo, whether they are a citizen or not and regardless of what country they are in.

These grotesqueries need to be fought as hard as possible. This is the time for action. To stay on the sidelines is to acquiesce. The next round on antiwar / anti-Bush demos is on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. Protests are planned in DC, SF, LA, and Seattle so far. Be there.

Major change in this country is always spearheaded by people in the streets. It’s time to do it again.

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 ”The purpose is mainly to provide security for the elections“

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Sharon’s government collapsing

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A repeat presidential vote to break the political deadlock in Ukraine would be useless, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in Moscow.

Mr Putin said he was concerned about a split in Ukraine and said that Russia supported efforts to hold the country together.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his top advisors, meeting privately to plan an agenda for his second year in office, may call a special election that could upend the state’s political order, redrawing legislative and congressional district boundaries, curbing spending and revamping the bureaucracy.

Schwarzenneger, to my surprise, appears to think out of the box, is liberal on social issues, and has supported issues I favor, unlike the previous governor, the deposed and unlamented Gray Davis who sat slug-like except for incessant and unending fund-raising.

Arnold, of course, is a fund-raising maniac too. However, unlike Gray Davis, he actually does stuff. Some of it is good, some of it is bad, but at least wheels are moving. The state district boundaries badly need to be changed. They were locked in concrete a few years back in a slimy deal that both parties signed off on which essentially made all districts completely safe for one or the other party. This can, and should, be changed.

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