Is It Treason Yet?

GOP USA ^ | 12-09-05 | Joe Mariani - Commentary

[smoothsailing]

Is It Treason Yet?

By Joe Mariani

December 9, 2005

Treason is defined, in part, as "giving aid and comfort" to the enemies of the United States, according to the Constitution (Article III, Section 3) (web site) and the United States Code (Title 18, Part I, Chapter 115, Section 2381). (web site) Yet the Constitution also states, in the First Amendment, (web site) that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." How do we distinguish between free speech and treason? Where do we draw the line? The answer may be found using that least-used resource: common sense.

I would submit that the elected leaders of this country have more responsibility than the rest of us to ensure that they give no aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. With American troops risking their lives in daily battle on behalf of the nation, critical words from those in leadership positions carry greater weight than in peacetime, both with the enemy and with our own troops.

Yet the leaders of the Democratic Party consistently attack the war in Iraq with lies, from distorting the history of our confrontation with Saddam Hussein, (web site) to prevaricating about their own statements which led us to war, (web site) to defaming the character of every member of the Bush administration in turn. Worst of all, however, is the slander they spread about our troops.

The Chairman of the Democratic party, Howard Dean, said during a radio interview on 6 December (web site) that the "idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong." Does this statement not give "aid and comfort" to the enemy? The leader of a major political party, to which nearly half of all Americans belong, is telling the terrorists and insurgents in Iraq that they will win; that they will beat the United States.

Dean also said that, "this is the same situation we had in Vietnam," and in a certain sense, he's right. The beaten, demoralized North Vietnamese leadership was given new hope by certain American politicians and the press, to the point where they struggled on until America's liberals turned public opinion against the war. America was forced to withdraw from Vietnam in disgrace, having never lost a battle, by people just like Howard Dean. With his defeatist statements, Dean is giving our enemies the aid and comfort they need to keep fighting. How many Americans will die because of Dean's irresponsible remarks, made only to seek political advantage? Tell me why that's not treason.

Senator John Kerry (D-MA), the Democratic Party's most recent Presidential candidate, appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on 4 December (web site) to deface the American military. Speaking to interviewer Bob Schieffer, Kerry said that "there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the -- of -- the historical customs, religious customs." (And some people accuse GW Bush of being incoherent?) .

Does a United States Senator and former Presidential candidate accusing American soldiers of terrorizing women and children in the dead of night not give aid and comfort to the enemy? Just as he did during Vietnam, (web site) John Kerry is falsely accusing American troops of committing atrocities as a matter of normal course in an attempt to undermine support for the war among Americans. As a consequence -- intended or not -- he is yet again handing America's enemies an immense propaganda victory. How many potential terrorists will have their hatred of Americans fueled by Kerry's matter-of-fact statement that American soldiers are terrorising women and children in their homes at night, breaking cultural and religious taboos? Tell me why that's not treason.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) fully supports and endorses the recent statements of Representative John Murtha (D-PA), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. Murtha has made a big splash among the anti-war faction by calling for an immediate -- within six months -- pullout from Iraq. On 1 December, Murtha told a group of leading Pennsylvania citizens (web site) that America would be forced to abandon Iraq within a year because the troops are "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth." Murtha is hailed as a hero in the media for suddenly changing his mind about the war in Iraq, but called it "unwinnable" and stated that "we cannot prevail... with the policy we have today," while urging President Bush to send even more troops in May 2004. (web site)

What a burst of enthusiasm Murtha's words must have engendered among our enemies! How much hope will they take from his proclamation that they are, in fact, winning the war? Despite fantastic losses, and despite earning the enmity of the Iraqi people, the terrorists and Saddam supporters in Iraq can now believe that if they just find the strength to hold on a little longer, they can push the hated United States out of Iraq. How many of the enemy will fight rather than surrender, because Pelosi and Murtha have told them they're winning? How does that not give the enemy aid and comfort? Is that not treason?

Not all Democrats follow the defeatist, destructive path of their leaders. But those ARE their leaders -- the Chairman of their party, their most recent Presidential candidate, their party leader in the House of Representatives. Some Democrat politicians have repudiated the statements of Dean, Kerry, Pelosi, Murtha and the rest... not because those remarks were vile, untrue and treasonous, but because the Democrats are afraid such openly anti-American statements might "harm efforts to win control of Congress next year," according to the Washington Post. (web site) The only way they can regain power is to hide their true feelings, and they know it. Treason, it seems, is still considered malapropos by some Democrats.

But not all.

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Joe Mariani is a computer consultant born and raised in New Jersey. He now lives in Pennsylvania, where the gun laws are less restrictive and taxes are lower. Joe always thought of himself as politically neutral until he saw how far left the left had really gone after 9/11. His essays and links to articles are available at http://www.guardianwatchblog.com/

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

NOTE: All (website) notations can be accessed by going to the GOP USA link at the top of this article-smoothsailing

[Wolfhound777]

Well, the question is: Is Dean giving aid and comfort to the enemy or not? I think he is and I think an easy 70% of the rest of the Rat party is also, so it's treason. What's really sad, is they aren't committing it out of any inwardly held principles, but just for thier bloodlust for power and to hurt President Bush. Murtha, Dean, and Pelosi et al are despicable excuses for human beings. Now this beg the question if the Rats are aiding, abetting, and giving comfort to our enemies, does this mean the Rats are enemies and a danger to national security?

[EricT.]

ROFLMAO!!!!!! That is so funny!

Darn you! Now I won't be able to get to sleep!

[dufekin]

John F. Kerry is a serial career traitor, having adhered to our enemies from Vietnam to Nicaragua to the terrorist leaders he claims to have met in a New York restaurant, giving them aid and comfort.

Jay Rockefeller recently confessed to treason on national television. He committed the crime by sharing intelligence information with our enemies the Syrians--Baathists like Saddam Hussein--before we ousted the Butcher of Baghdad.

Michael Moore committed treason by cooperating with the Hezbollah terrorist organization, our enemies, giving them aid and comfort in his quest to distribute his libelous sedition (enemy propaganda) film.

Those actions are treason. Here is sedition:

Jack Murtha demands that our troops surrender and praises the enemy. Ted Kennedy wishes our troops to die at the hands of the terrorists. Howard Dean advocates a victory for the terrorists. Sedition is a very serious crime, a felony, but falls short of treason because it does not involve actual "adherence" (contact, visitation, etc.) with the enemy but nevertheless gives aid and comfort through words that rally enemy forces against our troops.

[Travis McGee]

Wall. Blindfold. Cigarette.

[tobyhill]

It's been treason by the RATS, MSM and anyone else who has knowingly published or spoke false allegations which the only intent is to harm the national security of the US in the time of war.

[smoothsailing]

LOL! That is fantastic! I've been in sort of a sour mood today and now I can't stop laughing! Thank you sir, you've made my day! ;^)

[writer33]

No blindfold. We'd like to see the whites of their eyes.

[LasVegasMac]

That was good.

Thank you.

I'll be giggling as I drift off to la la land tonight.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........

LVM

[RebelTex]

"When do we start to take 'action'?"

Right now!

Matt Drudge is reporting this from his website http://drudgereport.com/ :

GOP TO LAUNCH 'WHITE FLAG' DEM ATTACK

EXCLUSIVE: GOP TO LAUNCH 'WHITE FLAG' DEM ATTACK
Thu Dec 08 2005 18:02:44 ET

The DRUDGE REPORT has learned from a top GOP operative that the Republican National Committee will provide state parties with a web video prior to release tomorrow afternoon that shows a white flag waving over images of Democrat leaders making anti-war remarks.

I can't wait.

ROTFLMAO

[Jumper]

Rant: Taken from the text of an American Textbook 2077, "There was, in American, a period of disorder brought on by the constant liberal damage to the family and society. A complete societial breakdown in order occured.... At the height of the liberal takeover of American and her dark days of lawlessness, true patriots rose (aka the insurgency of values) to hunt down the vocal charalotons. As the numbers of those who advocated the abdiction of law and order declined, America was restored and today again leads the free world in both trade and peace."

[billbears]

I just don't what else to call it anymore.

I do. Partisan politics. If the roles were reversed and say a different international affair, the Republicans would be as ardent against Democratic actions as Democrats are against Republicans now.

[William Terrell]

Tell me why that's not treason.

It may be treason, but it's not prosecutable unless there is war declared under constitutional provision 1-8-11.

[farlander]

HOLY COW! That was AWESOME! ROFL. Made my Thursday! Hell, it made my month.

[dufekin]

We still have this pesky law that the Democrats routinely violate:

United States Code
TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 115 - TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES
Section 2388. Activities affecting armed forces during war

(a) Whoever, when the United States is at war, willfully makes or conveys false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies; or

Whoever, when the United States is at war, willfully causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or willfully obstructs the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, to the injury of the service or the United States, or attempts to do so -

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

(b) If two or more persons conspire to violate subsection (a) of this section and one or more such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each of the parties to such conspiracy shall be punished as provided in said subsection (a).

(c) Whoever harbors or conceals any person who he knows, or has reasonable grounds to believe or suspect, has committed, or is about to commit, an offense under this section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

(d) This section shall apply within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and on the high seas, as well as within the United States.

How many Democrats, media outlets, "peace" [terrorism] advocates, and other un-Americans are guilty of violating this law? How many have we prosecuted? Why so few?

[bybybill]

Whether it`s treason or something else, it is stupid and not going to win them any votes. The "cut and run fun bunch" don`t win elections. Never has, and never will. (Check out President McGovern. If it didn`t work then, well...)
But we should be very careful how we use that word, treason. We might not like what the Rats say, they probably are hurting the war effort, I hate them for that, but, they have the right to be stupid but calling them treasonous just makes us sound as nuts as they are.

[x1stcav]

Jeez, the party of Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Reagan starting to show manhood?

Christmas has indeed come early.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Bravissimo!

[smoothsailing]

Check my post #20, I wouldn't want to leave you with the wrong impression. :)

[dufekin]

Treason merely requires the existence of enemies of these United States; it does not require a declaration of war. In any case, we already have a declaration of war from Usama himself, and with the tragic attacks on New York City, we cannot argue that he lacks deadly seriousness.

[farlander]

Did you know cigarette's are bad for the health ? Tofu instead.