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U.S. Forces Detain Westerners in Iraq: ABU GHRAIB, Iraq - Six people claiming to be Americans and two who say they are British are in U.S. custody on suspicion of involvement in attacks on coalition forces, an American general said Tuesday. They would be the first Westerners reported held in the insurrection against the U.S.-led occupation.
Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, who is in charge of coalition detention centers in Iraq, said the alleged Americans and Britons were considered security detainees, meaning they were suspected of involvement in guerrilla attacks. She did not identify the purported Westerners but said they were being interrogated by military intelligence. U.S. Constitution: Clause 1: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
Clause 2: The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
Two things...
One: if Americans are travelling to Iraq to attack their countrymen... well, you hold POWs but you shoot traitors.
Two: Treason is the only crime detailed in the constitution, and there is little doubt to the meaning of the above clause. Why do I think the administration won't bother to follow it?
(Corruption of Blood and Forfeiture refer to inheritance and property, and don't apply here, in case you were curious.)
posted by
Matthew Carroll-Schmidt at 2:29 PM
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