Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, discusses the temporary legal injunction prohibiting enforcement of some provisions in the NDAA, specifically the indefinite military detentions that could apply to American dissidents like Noam Chomsky and Daniel Ellsberg; the vague definitions of “support for terrorism” and “associated forces,” which basically mean whatever the government wants them to; why most members of Congress are willing to...

Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, discusses his article “Senators Demand the Military Lock Up American Citizens in a ‘Battlefield’ They Define as Being Right Outside Your Window;” the secretly-negotiated bill proposing indefinite detention in military custody for US citizens accused of terrorism (or donating to the wrong charities, etc.); how the Non-Detention Act of 1971 (the “never again” response to Japanese-American internment...

Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, discusses the stealthy attempt in Congress to give the president unlimited authority to wage war worldwide, far beyond what the AUMF allows; the expiration of the already-dubious 60 day grace period on waging war in Libya without Congressional consent; why you should take the opportunity to pester your representative while Congress is on recess; how a permanent state of war destroys civil liberties in...

Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, discusses how the Obama administration’s minimal effort on closing Guantanamo has demoralized and discouraged Democrats willing to take political risks to make it happen; how the DOJ’s absolute certainty of convictions in terrorism cases casts doubt on the US 'justice' system; the lack of trials for 9/11 defendants (except marginal players) despite nearly 10 years gone by; and the primary lesson learned...