A bit of good news, courtesy of Senator Patrick Leahy (Patriot-Vermont) and the Anti-War Blog:
As someone who has little doubt that the Bushco crime family is capable of anything, including staging false flag terror events and initiating martial law, it was good to read that the 2006 changes to the Posse Comitatus and the Insurrection Act have been repealed:
Those changes were repealed at the end of this January as part of Public Law 110-181 (HR 4986), the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (signed into law by President Bush on January 28, 2008).
Although this change occurred in January, I have not seen it written about on dKos. Knowing that this change has been nullified relieved my anxiety and maybe it will do the same for the anxiety of anyone else who didn't know.
According to the Anti-War blogger, the only news coverage found in Nexus was a single Gannett wire story of about 300 words.
Why is that not surprising?
UPDATE I
Thank you for the requests for more information. In digging a little deeper, there was of course (Duh!) a Bush signing statement attached saying that he has the right to ignore the provisions he doesn't like:
President Bush Signs H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 into Law
Today, I have signed into law H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The Act authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, and for national security-related energy programs.
Provisions of the Act, including sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222, purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President's ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 28, 2008
The sections refer to:
Section 841:COMMISSION ON WARTIME CONTRACTING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.Establishment- There is hereby established a commission to be known as the `Commission on Wartime Contracting' (in this section referred to as the `Commission').
Section 846: Includes, among others, a representative of a committee of Congress, an Inspector General, the GAO, and a DOD employee responsible for contract oversight or management among those to whom a contractor employee may disclose information concerning contractor fraud, waste, or abuse while being protected from reprisals for such disclosure (whistleblower protections). Provides for expedited determinations of alleged contractor reprisals. Establishes a private right of action for contractor employees subjected to reprisals.
Section 1079: Requires the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, the director of a national intelligence center, or head of any department, agency, or element of the intelligence community, within 45 days after receiving a request from the Chair or ranking minority member of the defense committees for any intelligence assessment, report, estimate, or legal opinion, to provide such information. Requires such information to be provided unless the President certifies that the information is not being provided because the President is asserting a privilege pursuant to the U.S. Constitution.
Section 1222: Prohibits funds from being obligated or expended to: (1) establish any military installation or base for providing for the permanent stationing of U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq; or (2) exercise U.S. control of the oil resources of Iraq.
So, it does not seem like the signing statement challenges any of the provisions regarding Posse Comitatus or Insurrection. It also appears that control of Guard units has returned to governors in Section 1068:
Revises federal provisions concerning the use of the Armed Forces in major public emergencies to discontinue the executive authority to deploy active and reserve personnel during domestic response incidents. Repeals the authority of the President to direct the Secretary to provide supplies, services, and equipment to persons affected by major public emergencies.
State governers were the major force behind repeal. See: www.fema-law.com
Other links:
Rumor Mill News
AOL's Politics Propeller
UPDATE II
Thanks to Seneca Doane for providing this link to a previous diary on the repeal, dated Feb. 4, 2008, by odum.