Barack Obama Signs "Detention" Bill

See you all in hell. By which I mean Guatanamo Bay.

In a move that has horrified civil liberties advocates (not to mention thousands upon thousands of Americans) President Barack Obama signed today a controversial defense authorization bill which contains amendments authorizing the White House to detain persons of interest in terrorism investigations indefinitely by using the US military:

The White House had said that the legislation could lead to an improper military role in overseeing detention and court proceedings and could infringe on the president’s authority in dealing with terrorism suspects. But it said that Mr. Obama could interpret the statute in a way that would preserve his authority. 

The president, for example, said that he would never authorize the indefinite military detention of American citizens, because “doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation.” He also said he would reject a “rigid across-the-board requirement” that suspects be tried in military courts rather than civilian courts.

Basically, he has given himself the authority to detain Americans without due process but really really wants us to know that he is going to do the right thing and not use that authority. Right.

Keep in mind he also was going to ease federal restrictions on medical marijuana laws yet has instituted crackdowns on dispensaries in Washington State. He promised to have more lax deportation standards but instead has deported more immigrants than any previous president. So are we supposed to trust him?