when politics and business are spelled the same...

[lagilman]

Halliburton has announced plans to move their corporate HQ from Houston to Dubai.

They claim they're going to retain their legal incorporation status, meaning that they "will still be subject to domestic laws and regulations."

Um. Right. They're suddenly going to start now?

(ETA: Lots of yowling and screaming going on about this in D.C. And rightfully so, on so many fronts...)


Meanwhile, the Pentagon is finally going to decide if several "high value" prisoners being held at Guantanamo actually have enough evidenc against them to be tried. This is a "combatant review tribunal," and it will be held in secret with the evidence also held in secret, and transcripts will be released only after the secret stuff has been blacked out.

I make no judgment on their probable guilt or not. But anything determined in secrecy, by unnamed individuals, with no process by which those individuals can be checked for bias or influence? I am reminded uncomfortably of Charles I's version of the Star Chamber...

Comments

[debg.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed. The updated version of the Ken Starr Chamber proceedings: behind closed doors, screw the public, keep those pesky citizens out of our business.

I seriously hate these people.

[lagilman]

The military has a need and -- within reason -- a right to secrecy. At a certain level, information made public can do more damage than good. But that requires a level of confidence in the government (and the military) that the Bush regime has flushed down the toilet.

[debg.livejournal.com]

Within reason, sure. I had a father, and have a brother, who were both decorated members of the US military, Navy and AFI.

But who decides what's within reason? We've flushed the credibility down the toilet at this point, condoning torture, describing the Geneva convention as "quaint", and the list goes on.

The military exists, from where I'm sitting, as part of the United States. Their job - their mandate, and what they're funded WITH MY TAX DOLLARS TO DO - is to protect and defend this country.

That becomes a bad joke if they get to ignore the basic mandates of the constitution they're supposed to defend. Secret tribunals, denying a prisoner basic human rights, on and on and on.

That's not secrecy. That's abuse. And here's hoping no one decides they need to debate me on it, because as a thirty-year member of Amnesty International, I won't do it. It's well past debate in my head, at this point.

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

Re: Halliburton moving to Dubai

We all know how those important things ALWAYS seem to get lost during moves, no?

Is it too conspiracy theorist of me to wonder how much incriminating evidence will conveniently be "lost"?

[bill-leisner.livejournal.com]

Only in that you seem to think they'd feel a need to create an excuse for "losing" anything... *g*

[logrusboy.livejournal.com]

Honestly! If they were doing anything wrong, surely the Vice President would have blown the whistle on them instead of funnelling sole-source contracts their way. You people are so untrusting....

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

Hear Hear! Doesn't matter if they are guilty. What part of "due process" don't they understand? Makes me nervous when I come to the States. What itf "they" decide that I am guilty of something. They could lock me up and throw away the key.

[logrusboy.livejournal.com]

Feel free to come visit. You have nothing to fear as long as you aren't a demonstrated enemy of the American People.

Demonstrated Enemies Include (but are NOT limited to):
- Citizens of any member nations of the Axis of Evil (tm), i.e., any nation whose name ends in "...an", Iraq (they're all right now, except the handful of foreign-controlled terrorist insurgents), and France--duh!
- People who advocate any non-Republican influence upon the Government or People of the United States.
- Anyone who thinks persons of the same gender should be allowed to make physical contact with each other beyond a professional handshake.
- Anyone who knows anyone in the above categories and hasn't reported them to the House Un-American Activities Committee ...er... Le Comité de Salut Public ...no, that wasn't it...oh! The Department of Homeland Security. I knew it was one of those well-meaning organizations with no political agenda.

You're none of those are you? Please speak clearly for the benefit of the transcribers.

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

Oops! I'm living in France, bi-national FR/AM; I support Kucinich for President; I've got a guypal married to another guypal (They live in Massachusetts; I've never reported anyone to anyone, unless you count the time in JrHighSchool when I reported the kid without a hall pass.) I guess I'm screwed, huh? Oh well. My Mom is a car-carrying Republican. Maybe she'll bail me out.

[logrusboy.livejournal.com]

They live in Massachusetts

Ah...that place. We don't discuss that place; it makes the Baby Jesus cry. If they weren't providing revenue to the Federal Government, we'd so be back down to 49 states....

[rwglaub.livejournal.com]

I don't think we have an extradition treaty with the UAE. And of course it will hard to serve any Congressional subpeonas there.

The treatment of prisoners is what led me to make my break with this administration. But then people like me are considered to be 'old-fashioned' and 'quaint' by its members.

They want me to volunteer for Iraq. Me and a whole bunch of agency seniors. Said it will look good for our careers.

No thanks. I've been through three wars, seen one close up and personal, and I really don't care to see another...

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

I am reminded uncomfortably of Charles I's version of the Star Chamber...

It's been running through the back of my mind for weeks, now...