John R. Houk
© January 1, 2010
Here is the exchange between myself and Inside Passage in the comment section of my Vox blog of the post “Thoughts on BHO Immunity Extended to Interpol”:
Inside Passage: ... you did read the relevant Order's text, right? And the links to it? Because honestly, the only thing in there that is worrisome is giving yet another foreign agency protection from search and seizure on our soil on properties it owns. They already have all the rest of the immunities, as provided in the Order signed by Ronald Reagan. In this day and age of terrorism, the last thing we need is yet another pack of foreigners with no oversight. We already have Blackwater and UN's powergrabbing garbage and we certainly don't need more.
The rest of the exemption removals are tax-code based, and hardly a concern.
Theway2k: I hope you are correct. I have little trust for the UN and President Obama's complicity with a seeming global UN agenda to marginalize American Constitutional issues.
Inside Passage: Oh man, absolutely DO NOT just take my word for it. You've got everything you need to look it up yourself. That's how I got that information - googled "Executive Order XXXXX", made sure I understood exactly what it was changing by repeated readings, and then check all the very useful linked text they provided on the relevant sections of text being updated.
That was the bulk of what was happening, certain tax code exceptions and the search and seizure exception were specifically provided in Reagan's order and those exceptions no longer exist in Obama's.
Like I said, though. Feel free to fact-check me. I got no problem with that, and you might even see something I missed. That's the soul of productive discussion - knowing the material, and then basing your take on it against someone else's.
Below is my own fact checking.
Here is the text of Executive Order 13524 of December 16, 2009 (unformatted from original web document):
[Federal Register: December 21, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 243)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 67803]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21de09-119]
Presidential Documents
[[Page 67803]]
Executive Order 13524 of December 16, 2009
Amending Executive Order 12425 Designating Interpol as a Public International Organization Entitled To Enjoy Certain Privileges, Exemptions, and Immunities
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and in order to extend the appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 12425 of June 16, 1983, as amended, is further amended by deleting from the first sentence the words ``except those provided by Section 2(c), Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act'' and the semicolon that immediately precedes them. (Emphasis mine)
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 16, 2009.
[FR Doc. E9-30413
Filed 12-18-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W0-P
Here is Reagan’s EO 12425:
Executive Order 12425 of June 16, 1983
International Criminal Police Organizations
By virtue of the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States, including Section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (59 Stat. 669, 22 U.S.C. 288), it is hereby ordered that the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), in which the United States participates pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 263a, is hereby designated as a public international organization entitled to enjoy the privileges, exemptions and immunities conferred by the International Organizations Immunities Act; except those provided by Section 2(c), the portions of Section 2(d) and Section 3 relating to customs duties and federal internal-revenue importation taxes, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act. (Emphasis mine) This designation is not intended to abridge in any respect the privileges, exemptions or immunities which such organization may have acquired or may acquire by international agreement or by Congressional action.
Ronald Reagan
The White House,
June 16, 1983. (Source Democratic Underground)
Here is Clinton’s Amendment to Reagan’s EO 12425:
Executive Order 12971 of September 15, 1995
Amendment to Executive Order No. 12425
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to extend the appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities upon the International Criminal Police Organization (‘‘INTERPOL’’) it is hereby ordered that Executive Order No. 12425 be amended by deleting, in the first sentence, the words ‘‘the portions of Section 2(d) and’’ and the words ‘‘relating to customs duties and federal internal-revenue importation taxes’’. (Emphasis mine)
William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 15, 1995. (Source IBID.)
Inside Passage it is really important to understand that Interpol files cannot now be subpoenaed by U.S. Courts according to President Obama’s EO 13524. Sovereignty is diluted by the fact that Interpol is capable of keeping secret files on Americans which do not have to be divulged due to absolute immunity. As I said in the post “Thoughts on BHO Immunity Extended to Interpol,” the recent Interpol meeting under the auspices of the United Nations in Singapore alters or makes the possibility of altering Interpol’s own constitution pertaining to not overriding a sovereign nation’s sovereign prerogative.
JRH 1-1-09
John R. Houk
© December 29, 2009
I have to admit I neglect participation in the many Yahoo Groups that I am a member of. The lame reason for this is the management of several blogs including my flagship blog SlantRight.com. Nonetheless fate had its way and I ran into a post at the American Freedoms Yahoo Group pertaining to President Barack Hussein Obama delivering freedom of movement (including immunity) for the European police agency known as Interpol.
I have another admission. I really don’t know much about Interpol except from what I hear from entertainment venues such as motion pictures and television. In entertainment Interpol is often portrayed in a positive light.
Here is an excerpt from Interpol’s about page:
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 188 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.
INTERPOL aims to facilitate international police co-operation even where diplomatic relations do not exist between particular countries. Action is taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. INTERPOL’s constitution prohibits ‘any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.’
The about page goes on to inform of Interpol’s structural make with a brief explanation of the rules it can operate under. It is at the about page that I discovered Interpol’s official name is The International Criminal Police Organization. Here is a link different from Interpol with a brief history.
All the Interpol information appears to indicate a benign organization dedicated to the common good of the international community.
The problem Conservative members have with Interpol is its legal mindset congruent to European, United Nations and repressive Interpol member nations. At best European rule of law is egalitarian with a large dose of everything multiculturally diverse being imposed upon society. At worst Interpol is forced to respect the law systems of repressive regimes like Muslim dominated nations, Marxist regimes and whatever third world despotic nation that joined Interpol’s umbrella of international law. In neither scenario is there a compatibility with United States Constitutional Law.
Centrist egalitarian apologists, U.N. apologists and Leftist apologists only defense seems to be that the Conservative Right is Chicken Little saying the sky is falling. The apologist argument flows something like this: Interpol’s own constitution prohibits the organization from overriding the law enforcement agencies of sovereign nations. Another argument is Interpol is not an international police force with the power to enforce.
Check out this recent reality that international apologists conveniently do not include in their arguments:
During a conference in Singapore this week, delegates to the Interpol-United Nations meeting agreed: the budding global police force needs more power.
According to reports, the international group is aiming to step up its efforts to battle crime worldwide, claiming the need for its own special passports, shared global DNA and biometric information databases, cooperation with the UN’s military arm and much more. “It is the first step toward creating what Interpol calls a ‘global policing doctrine,’” reported the New York Times in an article entitled "Interpol and U.N. Back ‘Global Policing Doctrine.'’’
“As the world’s largest police organization, Interpol needs to remain at the forefront of all activity which enhances member country security and safety,” explained Interpol President Khoo Boon Hui. The organization — officially known as 'THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION - INTERPOL' — is comprised of more than 180 member nations, including a wide array of repressive regimes like China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Sri Lanka (which is currently operating concentration camps), and even Zimbabwe. It was originally founded in 1923 and is based in Lyon, France.
The government ministers and high-level police representatives in attendance endorsed a special declaration that would create a “roadmap” for international police to fulfill their “full role” in so-called “peacekeeping challenges,” an Interpol press release explained. The UN already has over 12,000 civilian law-enforcement officers deployed around the globe.
“The police will be trained and equipped differently with resources,” said Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble, known as the “Enforcer” for his role in the infamous Waco siege, murders, and subsequent coverup in his position as Undersecretary of Enforcement at the U.S. Treasury. “When they stop someone, they will be consulting global databases to determine who they are stopping.”
The group also began issuing its own passports on Tuesday, aimed at eliminating visa requirements so global cops can get anywhere quickly. “That a person is traveling with an Interpol passport for official business should be all the information a country needs in order to grant them access,” explained Noble, the first American to head the organization. “By agreeing to waive visas, member countries will ultimately be assisting themselves.” (New American 10/14/09)
Yes, once again the apologists are either ignorant or are outright deceiving their readers. In the previous excerpt note the concept of increased international police powers and the words “world’s largest police organization.”
Now I have to say kudos to Interpol in its actual crime fighting mandate which has been successful to a certain degree in drug trafficking and human trafficking. But here is something to think about. You have to be aware that many European Leftists (God help us because many American Leftists) are hot to snag Americans in government and/or in the military for war crimes as defined by the International Criminal Court. Meaning those that bury their heads in the sand of Islamic and Palestinian propaganda is bent on prosecuting Americans and not Muslims and not Palestinians for committing global atrocities.
A post attributed to the obvious pseudonym of Mataharley at Flopping Aces draws what I believe to be very significant conclusions to President Barack Hussein Obama signing an Executive Order granting Interpol full immunity in America:
The second is this just may be a great dumping ground for future enemy combatants… alleviating this POTUS of the repercussions of an unsuccessful and controversial prosecution in the US federal justice system.
Both potential “int’l law” scenarios are a win win for the Obama extreme left base – a group feeling they’ve been abandoned by a “central” Obama. To this day, they thirst for Bush’s blood, and those in his administration. Obama can use the int’l court system and regulations to virtually hand them Bush’s head. Voila… a surprise campaign promise fulfilled.
As for Gitmo, for a POTUS who’s greatest skill is voting “present” and passing the buck of responsibility to others, Obama would be grateful not to fill up the cell blocks of a new “Gitmo” located on US soil if he could simply pass them off to the ICC. He again washes his hands of any ill-treatment in the hands of international authorities. If this is the case, there will be some new ROE following soon.
Time will perhaps reveal more what the Obama admin has planned with this subterfuge. Until then, were I the former admin members, I’d be keeping a watchful eye over my shoulder. But what I am most sure about is this Executive Order is not to benefit INTERPOL – who has functioned for decades without these immunities. Executive Order #13524 is all about the power of “appearing powerless” in the court of public opinion.
So check this posited theory. Flopping Aces is saying BHO will satisfy the fringe Left of the Democrats and open the international community to have the ability to come after President Bush and key members of his Administration to satisfy the blood lust of deceived and deceiving Leftists. President BHO will merely can skate in plausible deniability and abrogate American Constitutional Law to the treaty law of the ICC. Yes that is a surrender of sovereignty to global regulation.
Here is the American Freedom’s post that initiated my looking into the amendment to Executive Order 12425.
JRH 12/29/09 (See Also: National Institute of Prevarication and Pajamas Media)
