Democracy for Vancouver

Yet another spotlight on this potentially troubling Executive Order from WaPo’s Walter Pincus:

Be careful what you say and whom you help - especially when it comes to the Iraq war and the Iraqi government.

President Bush issued an executive order last week titled “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq.” In the extreme, it could be interpreted as targeting the financial assets of any American who directly or indirectly aids someone who has committed or “poses a significant risk of committing” violent acts “threatening the peace or stability of Iraq” or who undermines “efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform” in the war-torn country.

But the text of the order, if interpreted broadly, could cast a far bigger net to include not just those who commit violent acts or pose the risk of doing so in Iraq, but also third parties - such as U.S. citizens in this country - who knowingly or unknowingly aid or encourage such people.

(…)Under the order, the Treasury secretary - in consultation with the secretaries of defense and state - creates the list of those whose assets are to be frozen. But the targeting of not just those who support perpetrators of violence but also those who support individuals who “pose a significant risk” of committing violence goes far beyond normal legal language related to intent and could be applied in a highly arbitrary manner, said Bruce Fein, a senior Justice Department official in the Reagan administration and a frequent Bush administration critic.

(…)Fein also questioned the executive order’s inclusion of third parties, such as U.S. citizens who assist, sponsor or make “any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services” to assist people on the Treasury list. “What about a lawyer hired to get someone off the list?” Fein asked.

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