Jennifer Daskal of HRW talks about Habeas Corpus and what an unlawful enemy combatant is.Just returned from Guantanamo Bay Cuba, Jennifer Daskal, Advocacy Director of the U.S. Program at Human Rights Watch explains the difference between "unlawful" and "lawful" combatants, and says Habeas Corpus should be restored to detainees.

Chuck Michaels, author of No Greater Threat, discusses his book about the War on Terrorism.Chuck Michaels, author of No Greater Threat, discusses his book about the War on Terrorism. He recounts how he came to writing No Greater Threat and his 12 characteristics of the National Security State. About the Book (from NoGreaterThreat.com) Three years from the October, 2002 release of the original edition of "No Greater Threat," an extensive (revised) Second Edition is now available. This new edition of No Greater Threat presents, in a single volume, an extraordinarily comprehensive overview of the "war on terrorism." The Second Edition includes all text from the original edition, including a unique and complete analysis of the entire USA PATRIOT Act, and contains examinations of various anti-terrorism developments since the PATRIOT Act to the close of 2004, unique to a single volume. The Second Edition also features a further analysis of events related to the PATRIOT Act since its enactment, and a complete review and analysis of THREE other major legislative anti-terrorism events since 2001: the Homeland Security Act (2002), the (proposed) Domestic Security Enhancement Act (2003) (often called "PATRIOT Act II"), and the Intelligence Reform Act (2004). About the AuthorC. William Michaels, 53, is an attorney (since 1978), activist, and writer living in Baltimore. He conducts a solo appellate practice, which also includes appellate brief writing for other attorneys, for cases in Maryland or Federal appeals courts. Mr. Michaels has been involved in social justice concerns for more than 25 years. He has held regional and national positions (full time, 1982-1986, and part-time, 1987) devoted to these issues. From 1982 to 1986, he was full-time Coordinator of the Justice & Peace Office for the Baltimore Archdiocese, which included public presentations, designing and implementing educational programs on social issues, organizing events at local and regional levels, writing or presenting testimony, and liaison work with several local and national groups and committees. Mr. Michaels' background in writing and media includes newspapers, radio, and television. From June, 1989 to October, 1991, he developed, produced, co-hosted, wrote, organized, and syndicated a weekly half-hour radio program, New Earth Radio, devoted to national and global peace-justice-environment issues. It aired in Baltimore on (former) WCVT. New Earth Radio included music, news, features, interviews, and special segments. After the radio program, Mr. Michaels then developed, wrote, and produced a weekly cable television program, called WorldViews, produced at the Baltimore Cable Access studios, from 1994 to 1996. WorldViews had a similar format: news, features, interviews, movie reviews, commentary, and panel segments. It aired in other community cable stations including New York and Boston. In 1995 and 1996, WorldViews received Baltimore Cable Access Corporation's "Cameo" awards for excellence in programs produced at BCAC. Mr. Michaels has clerked for a trial court judge and was the Editor and General Manager of a local newspaper. He also was a freelance writer and editor, including weekly columns for a metro paper and for a legal newspaper. His writing experience includes a position as Legal Editor at the Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), a position he took following his Coordinator position with the Baltimore Archdiocese. He left BNA in 1987 to start his legal research and solo appellate practice. He co-founded (1985) and remains coordinator of a local chapter of a national peace/justice organization (Pax Christi). That chapter has conducted activities in the Baltimore area for 17 years. He is also a member of the Catholic Labor Committee. In May of 1993, Mr. Michaels was an organizer and coordinator of a weekend series of events at Goucher College to observe the 25th anniversary of the Catonsville 9, the seminal Vietnam war protest. He is on several boards and committees of local peace and justice organizations. Educational Background: Brandeis University (magna cum laude, with additional honors in Politics) (1975). University of Maryland School of Law (1978). Held editorial positions at both the Law Review and Law Forum, receiving course credit for both.  

Bruce Fein, constitutional lawyer and international consultant, gives expert insight into separation of powers and the challenge to liberty that current administration policies present. He speaks on the subjects of checks and balances, and the use of presidential findings, the state secrets privilege, enemy combatant status, secret prisons and torture. Fein argues for the appointment of judges and prosecutors who display “statesmanship and nonpartisanship” rather than allegiance to a particular office-holder. He reminds us that we should “never become complacent,” but instead remember our responsibility and ability to restrain government and promote freedom.Bio sketch from The Litchfield Group: Bruce Fein commands impressive experience and influence in the corridors of both national and international power. He graduated from Harvard Law School with honors in 1972. After a coveted federal judicial clerkship, he joined the U.S. Department of Justice where he served as assistant director of the Office of Legal Policy, legal adviser to the assistant attorney general for antitrust, and the associate deputy attorney general. Mr. Fein then was appointed general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission, followed by an appointment as research director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Covert Arms Sales to Iran. He recently served on the American Bar Association's Task Force on Presidential signing statements. He is frequently quoted in The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and other major national publications. He has been featured on the cover of the American Bar Association Journal, the legal profession's most prestigious publication. He has authored several volumes on the United States Supreme Court, the United States Constitution, and international law. He has assisted three dozen countries in constitutional revision, including Russia, Spain, South Africa, Iraq, Cyprus, and Mozambique, and consulted foreign nations on matters ranging from telecommunications and cable regulation to sugar quotas, oil and gas pipelines, immigration, election laws, and human rights. Mr. Fein has been an adjunct scholar with the American Enterprise Institute, a resident scholar at the Heritage Foundation, a lecturer at the Bookings Institute, and an adjunct professor at George Washington University. He has also been executive editor of World Intelligence Review, a periodical devoted to national security and intelligence issues. He regularly lectures to foreign guests and dignitaries visiting the United States on behalf of the State Department. At present, he writes weekly columns for The Washington Times and Capitol Leader, and a bi-weekly column for the Lexington Herald-Leader devoted to legal and international affairs. He is a guest columnist for numerous other newspapers, and articles for professional and lay journals. He is invited to testify regularly before Congress and administrative agencies by both Democrats and Republicans. He appears regularly on national and international television, cable, and radio programs as an expert in foreign affairs, international and constitutional law, telecommunications, terrorism, national security, and related subjects. He is a regular guest at the BBC, C-SPAN, CNN, Reuters, MSNBC, and NPR.  

Luke Ryland of the Wot is it Good 4 political blog talks about the Sibel Edmonds FBI whistleblower case and the ramifications it could have for high level goverment officials. Ryland tells us that while at the FBI Sibel Edmonds discovered involvement in American Turkish Council(ATC) in heroin smuggling as well as FBI agents handing over documents about investigations to targets of these investigations into the ATC. Ryland discusses the States Secrets privilege and argues it is being improperly used to silence Edmonds. He believes the hearings will lead to indictments of high powered government leaders, such as Douglas Feith and Dennis Hastert. Ryland has a petition for Sibel Edmonds online at LetSibelEdmondsSpeak.blogspot.com.