Lieberman: Strip Citizenship from Terrorists

Do I have a problem with this? I don't think I do.

The senator, who spoke first to Fox about this on Tuesday, referred to a 1940's era law that states that citizens fighting in a military force that is an enemy of the U.S. renounce their citizenship. "I think it's time to look at whether we want to amend that law to apply it to American citizens who choose to become affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations, whether they should not also be deprived automatically of their citizenship and therefore deprived of rights that come with that citizenship."

Lieberman, according to an aide, plans to amend that law to add those who are part of a terrorist organization. Currently, 8 USC 1481 reads, "A person who is a national of the United States whether by birth or naturalization, shall lose his nationality by voluntarily performing" the following act, among others, "entering, or serving in, the armed forces of a foreign state if such armed forces are engaged in hostilities against the United States."

I'm not familiar with the 1940s law, I assume it was put in place as a response to concerns about Japanese, German or Italian-Americans that actively aided our enemies during the war. The thing about this that I find intriguing is that Joe is underlining the concept of "terrorism and terrorist acts against US citizens is an 'act of war'". It also has to have some impact on the concept of trying terrorists in US courts, doesn't it? (at least I think that's the point, but discuss and put me some f'n knowledge).

Happy Thursday morons.

posted by Dave In Texas at 09:23 AM

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