After passing in the House of Representatives earlier this year, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 went before the US Senate last week, where it was met with overwhelming approval. In the days before, the Obama administration issued a policy statement on November 17 saying explicitly that the president would veto the bill, as it would challenge the presidents critical authorities to collect intelligence incapacitate dangerous terrorists and protect the nation.
Opposition from the White House seemed all but rampant until RT revealed earlier this week that Senator Carl Levin told lawmakers that the legislation was altered because the administration asked us to remove the language which says that US citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that those last minute changes yielded legislation that would not challenge the presidents ability to collect intelligence, incapacitate dangerous terrorists and protect the American people, and therefore the presidents senior advisers will not recommend a veto.
Originally the White House said that the administration objected to matters in the bill that applied to detainees. Under the act, Americans could be arrested and held indefinitely in military-run prisons and tortured without charges ever being brought forth, essentially making Guantanamo Bay a threat for every American citizen.