Asscrossed's Parting Shots

Big John has a few beefs about judicial meddling in the war on terror:

Departing Attorney General John Ashcroft, dealt several court defeats over U.S. anti-terrorism policies, on Friday derided what he called judges' second-guessing of the president's decisions.

"These encroachments include some of the most fundamental aspects of the president's conduct of the war on terrorism," Ashcroft told the Federalist Society, a conservative lawyers group, in his first public remarks since the White House announced his resignation on Tuesday.

"The danger I see here is that intrusive judicial oversight and second-guessing of presidential determinations in these critical areas can put at risk the very security of our nation in a time of war," Ashcroft said...

Ashcroft did not refer to any specific ruling, but he warned of what he called excessive judicial encroachment into the powers reserved for the president.

"The essential constitutional understanding is that courts are not equipped to execute the law. They are not accountable to the people. And they lack the knowledge and expertise essential for the effective administration of government," he said.

"The latitude and discretion reserved for the president under our Constitution must, of course, be greatest in the areas of national security and foreign relations, especially during times of war and national crisis."

Let's see--by cozying up to quaint old standards like the Geneva Conventions, by not condoning torture, by insisting on due process--in some cases--and suggesting that at the very least some sort of administrative hearing should be held in others, Judicial Branch of government, heretofore considered a co-equal, is instead trying to usurp the divine right of one George W. Bush to, well, apparently do just about any goddamend thing he pleases.

And THAT'S causing problems with the war on terror?

Hmmm. Someone should let Asscrossed know that the decision to invade Iraq wasn't undertaken after a 5-4 vote in the Supreme Court--although, to be fair, Bush v. Gore DID set some things in motion.