Wojtek Sokolowski <sokol at jhu.edu> wrote: For one thing, I simply do not buy the Hollywood-inspired fantasy that evil government agents frame up some walking innocence just for the heck of it. I am much more inclined to assume some sort of rationality on the part of the people with whom I disagree - I thus find quite probable that the government must have had some bona fide reason to detain Mr. Padilla (whether they reveal that reason is another story).
ED: I see no reason to believe this. First, there are careers at stake here. These are people (FBI, CIA, DOJ) who cannot exit their jobs in disgrace. Seccond, look at the scandal in the LAPDinvolving fixed cases. Plus, when peole think they are doing god's work and think they know the "real truth" it is very easy for them to justify going over what "outsiders" would call the appropriate boubaries.
At my old firm we did a large amount of pro bono criminal trial and appellate work and I can tell you without fear of hyperbole that there are a lot of people convicted of crimes because cops lie. Now, that is not to say that all cops are bad or that most cops lie. I am telling you that it happens....
There is a good reason to believe that the "government" genuinely tries to prevent terror attacks rather than simply rounding up innocent victims. If not anything else, such attacks are likely to create chaos and instability that will likely undermine the current administration - so they have a good incentive to protect their own asses by protecting the public.
ED: instability becomes a reason for greater and greater contrrol AND greater and greater deference by the media and the public.
As to Justin's assertion that this is a "trail balloon" to do the same to other US citizens - I've been too long hanging out in various dissident circles to fall for this canard. The founding myth of most dissident groups is that the government and its agents are after them and will use every trick available to get them.
ED: I think the history of the FBI in the US rebuts your position. The details are many and the list was posted here recently:
<http://foia.fbi.gov/famous.htm>.
Here is Nixon's enemies list:
<http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~polisci/calvert/PolSci3103/watergate/enemy.htm>
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