[extropy-chat] IRAQ: Weapons pipeline to Syria

[Stephen Van_Sickle]

--- Adrian Tymes <wingcat at pacbell.net> wrote:
 
> We are no longer at war.  The organization which we
> were at war with has been disbanded and replaced.

It has?  Well, if it has been replaced, then I would
argue we are at war with the replacement, or it really
wouldn't be a replacement, would it?  Or is that just
arguing semantics?

US troops are killing and being killed.  If that is
not war, I don't know what is.  It seems to me whether
or not it is recognized as legitimate by others is
irrelevant to the question.

In answer to the original poster, it seems to me that
there are no circumstances where the government is
justified in suppressing enemy propaganda, at least
within this country.  There are no war exceptions to
the First Amendment in the Constitution, and not even
a little wiggle room.

Now, that does not mean that enemy propaganda cannot
be met with propaganda of our own.  Also, just because
it cannot be prosecuted, does not mean that sedition
cannot be called sedition. It should be, and loudly. 
And clear treason should be prosecuted (I know of no
such cases of treason in this war, but there were I
believe clear cases in the Vietnam War).

Also, enemy broadcasting stations and newspapers seem
to me to be legitimate targets, given that they can be
(and have been) used to coordinate enemy action.  This
is a bit of a grey area, though. 

steve