Fascists!

Good. Hope he rots.

I actually disagree with this. As a citizen of the US Padilla has the right to actually be charged and stand trial in a speedy manner, not linger in jail till the government says it's OK.

If Padilla wasn't a US citizen (like say your average Club Gitmo detanee), and had no Constitutional rights and protections, I wouldn't have a problem with this. But for a US citizen t be detained without charges for YEARS is disraceful.

I agree with HowardDevore. Where in the constitution does it give the President the right to declare a U.S. citizen an "enemy combatant" and deprive him of his right to due process?

Besides, we already have a classification for Padilla. It's called traitor. He should be tried for treason and if convicted, executed.

Well, there were about 100,000 US citizens who were declared enemy combatants and detained by the US Army a little over 140 years ago. And unless they were exchanged or paroled they stayed in prison until the war was over.

Please. Lincoln was a power hungry madman who was perfectly happy to destroy Jefferson's, Washington's, Adam's et al. Federal Republic for a larger United "States" of America. He pushed the North towards a police state, with the arrest of many people critical of him, censorship of the press and ignoring the other 2 branches of government!
The man used the Constitution as toilet paper and now your holding him up as a paragon of what should be proper Presidential authority?

And who can now guess which side of the Mason-Dixon line I was born on?