Thiessen: US Law Applies Most Outside of US

Mark of New Jersey

Mark is a Founding Editor of The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, the predecessor of Ordinary Times.

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22 Responses

  1. North says:

    If Thiessen thinks that any country, even allied ones, would accept this kind of behavior from the US then he’s madder than a monkey on a tricycle.Report

  2. Max says:

    To: Governor Gregoire, Washington State 8/1/2010
    Subject: Racism and Child Abuse of Multi-Racial Child

    Ms. Gregoire, Shayna is still in the care of her abuser’s. I’m not getting your help because, face it“ I am a Black Man“. I have served this country proudly over 20 years, in your eye‘s, I‘m still a Nigger! If I were white, I would have gotten Shayna months ago, you know it true. My grand-child, Shayna Krueger is being abused by Laura Anderson’s, in the home of her so called, “suitable placement,” because, Shayna is multi-racial she can‘t help that. My grand-child has been taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, WA. several times due to her elbow popping out of place several times. It was written that this was normal and the physician was able to pop it back in. I have discussed this matter with physicians and nurses in Ohio, they tell me that this is abuse. The physicians stated to me, Shayna’s arm is being jerked or forcefully pulled often for this to happen. The abuse should have been investigated the first time. I feel you’re ignoring me because of my color, please stop thinking like, Governor Wallace of Alabama. The Lord had made Shayna and I different, we can’t help that, no person of color can. Governor, please over look my color just this once and make my grand-child safe! I’m sick and tired of being treated as a second class citizen, because I’m Black. Child Protective Service’s, Hughie Dang, Kim Gabbard would help if I were White! Make my grand-child Safe, in the name of Jesus!! Please take her out of the abusive placement, tell them not to hurt her again.

    Max Lawson
    U.S Army RetiredReport

  3. trizzlor says:

    However, those cases are readily distinguishable as they involved actual state-sponsored espionage where the prosecuted person was ultimately arrested in the United States.

    How would that effect this case if Assange was a government agent or Wikileaks was a foreign state-sponsored organization? Or a hybrid state-owned media such as the three major TV stations in Russia?

    What happens of Voice of America sets up a Wikileaks-style datat-tump focused exclusively on Iranian government corruption? And offers a monetary reward?Report

    • puddleoftheforest in reply to trizzlor says:

      @trizzlor,

      Although those would be interesting situations possibly meriting different actions or interpretations, that is not the case here. It’s pretty clear that this is an individual who is not in the employ of a foreign government, acting on foreign soil, and has not attacked the United States.Report

      • trizzlor in reply to puddleoftheforest says:

        @puddleoftheforest, My question wasn’t rhetorical, I fully understand the ridiculousness of Thiessan’s point, but I’m curious how these laws are going to apply in this kind of “new media” espionage particularly as the line between media and government becomes blurred.Report

    • Lyle in reply to trizzlor says:

      @trizzlor, Even if they were a foreign government employee, if they did it in the state that sponsored them the US could just fume and rage uselessly, unless they wanted to take the government in question down. The idea that the US has extraterritorial laws that apply to non us citizens or permant residents is absurd. About all the US can do is to put a warrant out so that if the folks try to enter the us the get picked up.
      After all Treason is in the eye of the victor. From the British point of view Nathan Hale was a traitor. Just like from that point of view Benedict Arnold was a hero. To the victor belongs the ability to tag participants.Report

  4. Rufus says:

    I don’t know if he’s saying their power is stronger outside the U.S.- I would though be very curious to know what this “wide range of options” consists of in reality.Report

    • Mark Thompson in reply to Rufus says:

      @Rufus, The only way I can interpret his saying that the fact that the guy is neither a US citizen nor operating in the US means that the US has a “wide range” of options is if he is implying that the US would have something less than a “wide range” of options were the facts otherwise.Report

  5. Kyle Cupp says:

    Thiessen, a loyal defender of U.S. global power.Report

  6. Dan Miller says:

    Given that Thiessen is a big defender of torture and the whole unitary executive concept, I just assumed that he meant that the government could have Assange assassinated (which it couldn’t do if he was a US citizen on US soil, unless I missed one more depressing step in our march away from civil liberties).Report

  7. Michael Drew says:

    Does the same problem apply to counterterrorism laws passed by the U.S. under which we prosecute (some) of those we accuse of plotting attacks against the U.S. — but who do no part of that plotting in the United States?Report

  8. B-Rob says:

    The first thing to understand about Thiessen is that he is not a lawyer, he does not understand the Constitution, federal law, or treaty obligations. In other words, he possesses the same knowledge and wisdom to discuss such things as my plumber does. Only Patrick is probably a better writer than Thiessen.Report