Is Posse Comitatus Dead? | Why Are U.S. Troops on U.S. Streets? | 17 Gitmo Prisoners Ordered Freed

Rights & Liberties Newsletter October 8th, 2008 More from Rights & Liberties »

Is Posse Comitatus Dead? By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now! Why are there active duty soldiers stationed on U.S. streets? Read more »   It may have been somewhat overshadowed in the run-up to the second presidential debate, but a major legal breakthrough occurred yesterday, thanks to a historic ruling by a U.S. federal court. After years of struggle by their lawyers and supporters, 17 innocent Uighur men were ordered released from Guantánamo Bay, where they have been imprisoned for almost seven years. According to the Center for Constitutional Rights, which has been working on behalf of the prisoners, "The men are refugees who would face persecution and imprisonment, if not death, if returned to their native China." Thus, according to the court's order, they are to be allowed into the United States. The story of these men is a classic, tragic example of how so many of the prisoners who have languished at Guantanamo got there, despite dubious connections to terrorism: The 17 men currently imprisoned at Guantánamo left China amid increasing political oppression and found their way to Afghanistan, where they lived in small Uighur communities. In late 2001, they were forced to flee the aerial bombardment of the surrounding areas. Eventually, they made their way to Pakistan in the belief that they would be safer there. After crossing into Pakistan, the Uighurs were welcomed and fed by Pakistani villagers who then turned them over for generous bounties offered by the United States. Last week, the Bush administration "finally conceded that none of these men would be treated as 'enemy combatants.'" Yet, less than 24 hours after the decision, the Department of Justice released a statement warning that the ruling "presents serious national security and separation of powers concerns," and announcing its intention to file, according to TPM Muckraker, "an emergency appeal to ensure the men stay behind bars." Clearly, as we have learned so many times, waging a "war on terror" apparently means never having to admit you're wrong. Learn more about the case here. And be sure to check out AlterNet's Rights & Liberties section for more. Thanks for reading, Liliana Segura Editor, Rights & Liberties Special Coverage     Thousands of Troops Are Deployed on U.S. Streets Ready to Carry Out "Crowd Control" By Naomi Wolf, AlterNet Members of Congress were told they could face martial law if they didn't pass the bailout bill. This will not be the last time. Read more »   As More Troops Refuse to Deploy, Getting Conscientious Objector Status is an Uphill Battle By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet Soldiers who decide to become conscientious objectors face a major struggle, but it can also be "the most liberating thing ever." Read more »   In Historic Move, Court Orders Release of 17 Innocent Gitmo Prisoners Into U.S. Center for Constitutional Rights The prisoners are all Uigur men who would face persecution -- even death -- if returned to their native China. Read more »   Our Next President Will Transform the Supreme Court By Ellen Goodman, Washington Post Writers Group John McCain has promised the court to the right wing, and Roe v. Wade is first up on the chopping block. Read more »   Chomsky: "If the U.S. Carries Out Terrorism, It Did Not Happen" By Subrata Ghoshroy, AlterNet In an exclusive interview, Noam Chomksy weighs in on the financial collapse, the election and the power of U.S. propaganda. Read more »   Women Who Took On the Taliban -- and Lost By Kim Sengupta, Independent UK Of five prominent Afghani women interviewed three years ago by The Independent, three are dead and a fourth has had to flee. Read more »   Arab "Registry" Upheld; Policy About Immigration, Not Counter-Terrorism By Edward Alden, New America Media A New York court says the program is legitimate. Read more »   PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web     U.S. Security Firm Indicted for Fraud in Afghanistan By Bernard Hibbitts, Jurist Legal News and Research The company, called U.S. Protection and Investigation, is accused of getting paid "inflated" amounts for its work on behalf of USAID. Read more »   Conservatives Attack Google for Opposing Gay Marriage Ban By Amanda Terkel Randy Thomasson of the right-wing group Campaign for Children and Families (CCF) has called for a boycott of Google for its opposition to Prop 8. Read more »   Sarah Palin: The Rape Kit Controversy By Staff, Wasilla Project If someone's home is burglarized, the tools of investigation are not paid for by the victim. Why was rape considered different in Wasilla? Read more »