By asking the Pentagon what plans they have for the eventual withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Senator Clinton, who oversees the Pentagon and it's budget, is in violation of George Bush's executive order prohibiting criticism of his Iraq disaster.

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In a letter dated July 16, Undersecretary of Defense Eric Edelman responded to Senator Clinton's question about the Pentagon's plans for the eventual withdrawal of US troops from Iraq: 

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda...such talk understandably unnerves the very same Iraqi allies we are asking to assume enormous personal risks."  "As you know, it is long-standing departmental policy that operational plans, including contingency plans, are not released outside the department."

This is his reply to the person he works for.

The very next day, (coincidence?) July 17, George Bush issued an Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq.  This executive order can be read to target Hillary, but it also targets the rest of us. 

Quoting the significant phrases of the executive order to get to the meaning of it:

"all property and interests in property of the following persons...are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury,"

"Following persons" is defined as "any United States citizen."  That's you and me.

"to pose a significant risk of committing an act...that have the purpose or effect of:

"undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq..."

"the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order."

What all this means is that George Bush can order his Secretary of the Treasury to "determine," without any evidence, that we "pose a significant risk" of "undermining political reform in Iraq."  We don't have to actually do any thing.  Just pose a risk.  As the Undersecratary of Defense told Hillary, that can be just about anything the Great Decider decides it is.  "Significant risk" is Bush's excuse for pre-emptive war against the people of the United States.  We can be found guilty of being a significant risk by merely asking how the war's going, advocating that the troops be withdrawn and that the war be ended, or questioning whether Bush should have started the war.  According to George Bush everyone who writes for OpEdNews advocating any of the above is guilty.  Without any due process of law and without prior notice we can have all our property, all our bank accounts confiscated, our interest in our residence, house or apartment, owned or rented, blocked and be left standing naked on the street.

The insidious part of the executive order is that after we're left with nothing, anyone who offers to provide us food, shelter and clothing is also guilty and can be subjected to the same treatment, and left standing beside us, naked on the street.

Well, I'm guilty as hell of violating Bush's executive order, and proud of it.  About seventy percent of the population is guilty, too.  In order to assure that I'm as much in violation as I can be, I'll say this:

George, I'm calling your bluff.  You've plowed up a snake, here.  Your executive order is in violation of the Constitution, my sense of integrity and what's just and honorable.  It attempts to end my constitutional right to free speech, so I'll just use my free speech on my own authority.  Your executive order treats the people of the United States the same way Hitler treated the Jews in Germany.  We saw what happened to them, but I'll be damned if I'll let you do it to me.  If you keep trying to pull these bone-headed stunts, you're going to have a situation to deal with here in the US that's much worse than your Operation Iraqi F--kup.  You're going to have people who stand up and fight back, on our own.  You may have the Democratic congress fooled, but you can't fool me.  You can't frighten me.  Nothing a pip-squeak like you can do frightens me.  The only thing I want to happen in Iraq is that we get our troops our, right now.  I couldn't care less what happens in Iraq after that.  After all, you said that you've brought democracy to Iraq.  So, according to you, it's entirely up to them.

I defy you to try to take anything I own.  Don't make the mistake of even trying to.  As you put it so eloquently, "Bring 'em on."  I'll be waiting and watching for you.

Authors Bio:
Ed Martin is an ordinary person who is recovering from being badly over-educated. Born in the middle of the Great Depression, he is not affiliated with nor a member of any political, social or religious organization. He is especially interested in the phenomenon of those who view the glaringly obvious with total incomprehension, in other words, out political, social and religious leaders.