Barack Obama's 2012 resolutions: floss more, resist temptation to detain "terrorists" indefinitely

It seems President Obama signed something pretty special into law on New Year's Eve. The NDAA (National Defense Authorisation Act) is the €662 billion act that will allow the President to detain anyone suspected of terrorism indefinitely and without trial. This includes American citizens on American soil as well as anyone, anywhere, at any time. I think this poster sums it up. I shudder to think how this act could be misused.

It hasn't gone unnoticed, nationally or internationally, with plenty of coverage from online media, which I've just been perusing.


The Huffington Post were quick to tell readers "Happy New Year: You can now be detained indefinitely".


It's also reported that the President had "serious reservations" about signing the bill, and even threatened to veto it before Congress added the provision that the authority to detain without trial or charge would lie only with the President.

Military detention wasn't the only feature of the bill - it also lays out how the military is to be funded, a matter close to any American administration's heart.

Indian Country reports that Amnesty International will join 45 other organisations in protesting the military detentions as well as the existance (still) of Guantanamo prison, outside the White House on January 11th - the 10th anniversary of the prison.

In a statement published on the White House website, the President explained why he signed the bill into law:

I have signed the Act chiefly because it authorizes funding for the defense
of the United States and its interests abroad, crucial services for service
members and their families, and vital national security programs that must be
renewed.

However, Obama admits to having reservations about certain provisions in the bill:

The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with
everything in it. In particular, I have signed this bill despite having
serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention,
interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists.

The President also clarifies that his administration will not make use of this provision of the NDAA. That's all well and good, Obama, but you won't be in the White House forever. Assuming Obama makes good on his promise, there is nothing stopping future presidents from using this bill to control protests, terrorise the public into cowing down, and in general run amok. A very discouraging start to 2012.