"Having his photo taken with Islamic extremists could reasonably be interpreted as an endorsement, which, based on past cases, could be seen as providing “material support” for terrorism. Presumably that isn’t what Sen. McCain intended. But the law’s application is not based on intent. To be fair to the rest of us, the Justice Department should investigate. The alternative would be for Senator McCain to launch a legislative effort to restrict the application of the law to what most people would reasonably consider to be aiding terrorists. Make it clear that what is prohibited is actually underwriting terrorism, not engaging in activities that might be seen as vaguely assisting a group that might have acted in some ways that might be construed as terrorism." Bandow at Cato
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I have been an expert witness in several federal cases involving national security in which the issue was whether or not the defendant had provided "material support" to terrorism. Often there was some underlying other matter involvnig payment of taxes or charitable donations, but the establishment of "material support" in a verdict meant that the sentence imposed would be several times as long as would otherwise have been the case.
Senator McCain clearly associated with known terorists in Syria and by implication endorsed their cause. pl
http://www.cato.org/blog/did-john-mccain-provide-material-support-syrian-terrorists
So Sen McCain wants to be the "Charlie Wilson" of the Levant :-)
Posted by: The beaver | 04 June 2013 at 11:45 AM
McCain should have a weapon in his hands of some sort. The new Jane Fonda of the Levant!
Posted by: Peter C | 04 June 2013 at 05:08 PM
A good lawyer would certainly get him off on Diminnished Capacity (mental). I mean he can quote this site where there are numerous comments calling him "Old Nutsy". John is like a member of our family, you know, that Uncle that goes spouting off on something or another and is a day short of being tossed in the looney bin. God loves him as do we all.
Posted by: Bobo | 04 June 2013 at 07:01 PM
If somebody with no political power were to pull this stunt he'd be up on charges in no time.
Posted by: Fred | 04 June 2013 at 08:09 PM
I wonder how much propaganda value al Nusra and others might gain from a Senior Senator endorsing their cause ? Senator McCain may be a 'old Nutsy " here , but does his office and reputation actually benefit the Wahabees in a material way?
Posted by: Alba Etie | 04 June 2013 at 10:18 PM
Class of 58 dwindling fast?
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 04 June 2013 at 10:37 PM
OT:
Oh Oh, Samantha Power as UN Ambasssador :(
Will she continue with R2P and the regime change policy?
Posted by: The beaver | 05 June 2013 at 09:38 AM
In a word, yes. Yikes.
Posted by: Bill H | 05 June 2013 at 11:00 AM
Bill H: No worries. R2P won't be applied to Bahrainis or Palestinians. When the brutalizers are US allies, it's "complicated", you know.
Posted by: Matthew | 05 June 2013 at 07:48 PM
McCain went even much further. He went to Yemen to encourage more jihadists to go to Syria.
http://yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?SubID=6925
Washington wants to send Yemeni Jihadists to Syria
/quote/
According to several Yemeni-based local newspapers, US Senator John McCain, who briefly visited Yemen earlier this week to offer his support to the coalition government and discuss political and security developments is rumored to have directly urged President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi to facilitate the transfer of Jihadists to Syria.
As the Free Syrian Army is struggling to secure its advances against Syrian President Bashar al-Assas, whose lists of supporters while thin remains mighty in military might, Washington and its allies in the region are said to be looking at ways to swell the ranks of the opposition by allowing foreign fighters to enroll against Assad regime.
In a move which analysts have already qualified as dangerous given the repercussions a similar policy led to in the 1980s, when Jihadists where send to fight off Russian troops in Afghanistan, security experts are worry al-Qaeda will use this opportunity to increase its recruitment pool while offering precious ground experience to its militants, which experience would be use later on against Yemen central government.
A source told several newspapers, "Senator McCain's visit was to drum up support for Jihadist groups fighting Bashar al-Assad regime."
/endquote/
Posted by: b | 06 June 2013 at 12:21 AM
Gee what could possibly go wrong ?
Posted by: Alba Etie | 08 June 2013 at 01:23 AM