Iranian Unit to Be Labeled ‘Terrorist’
U.S. Moving Against Revolutionary Guard
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 15, 2007; A01
The United States has decided to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country’s 125,000-strong elite military branch, as a "specially designated global terrorist," according to U.S. officials, a move that allows Washington to target the group’s business operations and finances.
Calling the military branch of another government a "terrorist" organization also allows Bush to skirt other nasty legal obstacles. For example, Congress won’t have to declare war on them because now they would fall under the AUMF that was passed in the wake of 9/11.
And assuming we do go to war with Iran, we won’t have to treat the soldiers of the opposing army under the Geneva Conventions.
So basically, by slapping the label "terrorist" on any person, or group, the Bush Administration can do anything it wants (i.e., attack them) and avoid complying with the U.S. Constitution and international treaties and human rights and stuff like that.
Yglesias adds his profound thought:
It’s taken a few years, but we’ve managed to move now from a situation in the winter 2001-2002 where the US and Iran were cooperating against our mutual deadly foe — al-Qaeda — to one where Iran is officially one of the enemies in an open-ended struggle against God knows whom.
Yikes.