Thursday, July 19, 2007

Yet Another Quietly Issued Executive Order

In a little-noticed executive order issued on Tuesday, President Bush directed the Treasury Department to block the U.S.-based financial assets of anyone deemed to have threatened "the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq" or who "undermin(e) efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq."

By that wording, I'd say that could be anybody who speaks out against the administration's policies. That's one way to stop contributions to progressive and Democratic candidates.

But that's not the target.

[Whiet House spokesman Tony] Snow led his press briefing with a description of the executive order and described it as "a gap left in other executive orders to make sure that we have the means to go financially after anybody who is trying to go after the efforts to secure freedom and democracy in Iraq." When asked who the act was aimed at, Snow replied, "Well, what this is really aimed at is insurgents and those who come across the border," meaning the Syrian and Iranian borders.

And these kinds of things never get abused.

As Sir Thomas More said, it's all in the wording.


....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.


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