Posted on Tuesday, 3 January 2012

I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens. Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a Nation. My Administration will interpret section 1021 in a manner that ensures that any detention it authorizes complies with the Constitution, the laws of war, and all other applicable law

PresidentBarack Obama, in a signing statement attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Oh OK.  If the president says we can trust him not to abuse his power then I guess we should.  Maybe the presidents in brown countries might be dicks, but not our guy.  We can comfortably say no American leader has ever violated his oath, or ever will, and feel safe in vesting him with the powers no English speaking executive has held for almost a thousand years.  What could go wrong?

By the way, that’s a signing statement, which is something Bush did that Obama condemned when he was campaigning in 2008, and said he would not do.  That’s a mulligan though!  Do over.  This next one counts, but not that one.  OK, go.

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