Constitutional Powers, Essay Example

The president of the USA has broad constitutional powers that enable him to take military action and use the Armed Forces.  He has the  constitutional power to retaliate against any person, organization or country suspected in terrorism or planning an act of aggression against the USA.  The president has the plenary authority as the commander-in-chief and is committed to this trust in order to maintain the security of the nation.

It is the war crimes act of 1996, as amended, which makes it an  offense to commit specified violations in the conduct of war.  This being where the offenses are committed by armed services members which are engaged in military combat operations overseas.  Article 3 of the international Geneva conventions act works in consortium with the legal  position upheld here.

Article 3 of the war crimes act for bids to use or the use or undue violence, torture and outrage against a person’s dignity and human rights.  In the 2006 case of Hampton vs. Rumsfeld, the Supreme Court rejected the position that the Bush administration could dismiss this ruling for acts of terrorism and dealing with the Al Qaeda threat.  Sorting from this more questions are being pursued regarding the scope of the war crimes act.  and as such US military  intelligence personnel may be prosecuted for the treatment of Al Qaeda detainees. This including actions taken at the Guantanamo Camp Delta Detention Centre.