Executive Order giving INTERPOL immunity in the US Signed into effect

[BuckNaked]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-amending-executive-order-12425

AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 12425 DESIGNATING INTERPOL
AS A PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION ENTITLED TO
ENJOY CERTAIN PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND IMMUNITIES

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and in order to extend the appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 12425 of June 16, 1983, as amended, is further amended by deleting from the first sentence the words "except those provided by Section 2(c), Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act" and the semicolon that immediately precedes them.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 16, 2009.

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/22/7/XVIII/288a

22 U.S.C. § 288a : US Code - Section 288A: Privileges, exemptions, and immunities of international organizations

International organizations shall enjoy the status, immunities,
exemptions, and privileges set forth in this section, as follows:
(a) International organizations shall, to the extent consistent
with the instrument creating them, possess the capacity -
(i) to contract;
(ii) to acquire and dispose of real and personal property;
(iii) to institute legal proceedings.
(b) International organizations, their property and their assets,
wherever located, and by whomsoever held, shall enjoy the same
immunity from suit and every form of judicial process as is enjoyed
by foreign governments, except to the extent that such
organizations may expressly waive their immunity for the purpose of
any proceedings or by the terms of any contract.
(c) Property and assets of international organizations, wherever
located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search, unless
such immunity be expressly waived, and from confiscation. The
archives of international organizations shall be inviolable.
(d) Insofar as concerns customs duties and internal-revenue taxes
imposed upon or by reason of importation, and the procedures in
connection therewith; the registration of foreign agents; and the
treatment of official communications, the privileges, exemptions,
and immunities to which international organizations shall be
entitled shall be those accorded under similar circumstances to
foreign governments.


http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MGY3MTI4YTRjZmYwMGU1ZjZhOGJmNmQ0NmJiZDNmMDY=

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Why Does Interpol Need Immunity from American Law? [Andy McCarthy]

You just can't make up how brazen this crowd is. One week ago, President Obama quietly signed an executive order that makes an international police force immune from the restraints of American law.

Interpol is the shorthand for the International Criminal Police Organization. It was established in 1923 and operates in about 188 countries. By executive order 12425, issued in 1983, President Reagan recognized Interpol as an international organization and gave it some of the privileges and immunities customarily extended to foreign diplomats. Interpol, however, is also an active law-enforcement agency, so critical privileges and immunities (set forth in Section 2(c) of the International Organizations Immunities Act) were withheld. Specifically, Interpol's property and assets remained subject to search and seizure, and its archived records remained subject to public scrutiny under provisions like the Freedom of Information Act. Being constrained by the Fourth Amendment, FOIA, and other limitations of the Constitution and federal law that protect the liberty and privacy of Americans is what prevents law-enforcement and its controlling government authority from becoming tyrannical.

On Wednesday, however, for no apparent reason, President Obama issued an executive order removing the Reagan limitations. That is, Interpol's property and assets are no longer subject to search and confiscation, and its archives are now considered inviolable. This international police force (whose U.S. headquarters is in the Justice Department in Washington) will be unrestrained by the U.S. Constitution and American law while it operates in the United States and affects both Americans and American interests outside the United States.

Interpol works closely with international tribunals (such as the International Criminal Court — which the United States has refused to join because of its sovereignty surrendering provisions, though top Obama officials want us in it). It also works closely with foreign courts and law-enforcement authorities (such as those in Europe that are investigating former Bush administration officials for purported war crimes — i.e., for actions taken in America's defense).

Why would we elevate an international police force above American law? Why would we immunize an international police force from the limitations that constrain the FBI and other American law-enforcement agencies? Why is it suddenly necessary to have, within the Justice Department, a repository for stashing government files which, therefore, will be beyond the ability of Congress, American law-enforcement, the media, and the American people to scrutinize?



Can anyone give me a reasonable explanation why we would need to do this?

 

[RyanPaulShaffer]

NWO

And I'm not talking about the cool version with Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.

 

[spidey07]

He said he was going to fundamentally change America and he's doing it every single day. You already knew he supports global government, America be damned.

 

[Jaskalas]

Why would we elevate an international police force above American law? Why would we immunize an international police force from the limitations that constrain the FBI and other American law-enforcement agencies? Why is it suddenly necessary to have, within the Justice Department, a repository for stashing government files which, therefore, will be beyond the ability of Congress, American law-enforcement, the media, and the American people to scrutinize?

Well when you put it that way.... wow.

I don't know why. To commit crimes against Americans?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

subverting the constitution is so trendy.

 

[werepossum]

I wonder if we got similar protections for FBI, CIA, and/or military personnel? If so, this might make sense, as Italy and (I think) Spain both have arrest warrants out for American CIA and military personnel.

 

[Triumph]

Can anyone give me a reasonable explanation why we would need to do this?

No, but I'd like to hear it as well.

 

[XZeroII]

The president cannot remove your constitutional rights.

[q]This international police force (whose U.S. headquarters is in the Justice Department in Washington) will be unrestrained by the U.S. Constitution[/q]

This is not within his powers and would never hold up if it went to the supreme court. However I guess that won't stop our great leader from trying to pull a fast one on us.

 

[spidey07]

The president cannot remove your constitutional rights.

[q]This international police force (whose U.S. headquarters is in the Justice Department in Washington) will be unrestrained by the U.S. Constitution[/q]

This is not within his powers and would never hold up if it went to the supreme court. However I guess that won't stop our great leader from trying to pull a fast one on us.

The rumor mill says it's so spain and italy can bring charges against Bush and Cheney.

 

[Craig234]

National Review is a bad joke. You need to go elsewhere for your info, as we do to get the reason for this Executive Order.

The hypocrisy is thick the people who will squeal the oudest about any hint of any international authority in the US are the same who think it's great the US put hundreds of thousands of armed mercenaries occupying the nation of Iraq who were immune, as US forces are, to Iraq law, but also immune, unlike US forces, to US law.

Gotta love how the NR hack thinks he's proven there are no Bush and Cheney crimes just by his saying the phrase that the actions were 'for our defense'.

How twisted has the word defense become when one nation invades and occupies another for years, primarily over its concern that it can get its hands on that country's oil, and calls it 'defense'.

I guess Bermie Madoff 'defended himself' from his clients when he aggressively solicited their money. OJ 'defended himself' from his wife.

No wonder we changed 'Department of War' to 'Department of Defense'. Propaganda, and boy has it worked on people. The old Soviet Union propagandists must have been in awe of our guys.

 

[Zebo]

Obama is a disaster on all fronts. Wasn't he a constitutional law professor? He's neither liberal or conservative but every day he looks more like a fascist

 

[Craig234]

The rumor mill says it's so spain and italy can bring charges against Bush and Cheney.

Assuming the rumor mill isn't the name of a magazine, where exactly? Your cellmates? Fox? Glenn Beck?

How do they explain that the right to freedom of possessions or whatever enables justice for Bush?

If the Obama administration is doing this in order to enable Bush investigations and charges, then it doesn't need to limit its own actions against Interpol, now does it? That bit of logic new to you?

 

[Craig234]

Obama is a disaster on all fronts. Wasn't he a constitutional law professor? He's neither liberal or conservative but every day he looks more like a fascist

Sigh. The word fascist abused again. If Obama IS empowering an international agency to bring Bush to justice, that's about the opposite of fasicm, which is a word that's about hyper-NATIONALISM.

Not INTERNATIONALISM.

Did you see Mussolin, Hitler, and Franco - the most famous fascists - working to bringn international organizations into theiir country with more power to hold them accountable to international law?

 

[JSt0rm]

fear doom doom fear, Fear? FEAR doom doom doom. Doom? fear.

 

[Craig234]

fear doom doom fear, Fear? FEAR doom doom doom. Doom? fear.

That has the same beat as a rap song, i.e. pretty much all rap songs.

 

[spidey07]

fear doom doom fear, Fear? FEAR doom doom doom. Doom? fear.

FREEDOM! LIBERTY! UNCONTROLLED BY FOREIGN NATIONS!

That's what it is. Not fear. Resolve.

 

[Zebo]

Sigh. The word fascist abused again. If Obama IS empowering an international agency to bring Bush to justice, that's about the opposite of fasicm, which is a word that's about hyper-NATIONALISM.

Not INTERNATIONALISM.

Did you see Mussolin, Hitler, and Franco - the most famous fascists - working to bringn international organizations into theiir country with more power to hold them accountable to international law?

Thats not his reason only right wing lunatics believe this. Remember he gave Bush a free ride and in fact is continuing the most egregious unconstitutional policies. I don't know why he is doing it though but it's unconstitutional to have foreign police operating against our citizens.

 

[Craig234]

FREEDOM! LIBERTY! UNCONTROLLED BY FOREIGN NATIONS!

That's what it is. Not fear. Resolve.

Of course, anyIraqi who wants "FREEDOM! LIBERTY! UNCONTROLLED BY FOREIGN NATIONS!" against the US who actually IS occupying their country is an enemy terrrosits. Only we get those things.

 

[JSt0rm]

FREEDOM! LIBERTY! UNCONTROLLED BY FOREIGN NATIONS!

That's what it is. Not fear. Resolve.

harhar brainwashed robot. What you need is a heavy dose of lsd and a stripper.

 

[spidey07]

harhar brainwashed robot. What you need is a heavy dose of lsd and a stripper.

Funny. I've probably dropped more LSD than you can even imagine along with plenty of strippers. I know all about the counter culture. But I grew up.

Nice pure shit from Purdue's finest. Heavy dose? You have no idea.

 

[Jaskalas]

The hypocrisy is thick the people who will squeal the oudest about any hint of any international authority in the US are the same who think it's great the US put hundreds of thousands of armed mercenaries occupying the nation of Iraq who were immune, as US forces are, to Iraq law, but also immune, unlike US forces, to US law.

You just compared President Obama's executive order to waging war against a nation. So who is he waging war against, the American people?

 

[SAWYER]

lol Obama apologists know no bounds

 

[Modelworks]

Have to wonder what else has been done behind closed doors while everyone was focused on health care. If I didn't know better I might think that was the whole idea.

 

[Dari]

What is the point of this change? I can't imagine any supranational organization being above our own. The President needs to explain himself.

 

[Modelworks]

Why would we elevate an international police force above American law? Why would we immunize an international police force from the limitations that constrain the FBI and other American law-enforcement agencies?

A couple points. There is no such thing as a international police force. Interpol picks its officers from the country of origin. So if they want to arrest someone in the USA they would go to the FBI to do the arrest. It isn't like interpol has a cadre of officers waiting to knock down doors and arrest people.

Why is it suddenly necessary to have, within the Justice Department, a repository for stashing government files which, therefore, will be beyond the ability of Congress, American law-enforcement, the media, and the American people to scrutinize?

Seeing as the officers doing the arresting would be from the USA I doubt you could get them to go but only so far. Government files already exist that nobody , not even the president can view. They are need to know files and only people that need to know are allowed to view them . It is the only type of file that you cannot view based on who you are . I would like to know the reason for this as it really doesn't give them much in the way of new power as far as interpol is concerned other than immunity if they screw up.