State secrets, the USA Patriot ACT & The war on Terrorism
In my opinion, the use of State Secrets Privilege (SSP) in the war against terror is justified. In that, SSP is a communal law of privilege that permits the executive department’s leaders to decline to the provision of court case proof on the basis that enlightening secret information would, in turn, detriment the national safety or international relation on discovery (CCR, 2017). It is apparent that the fight against terror is among the most persisting issues in the society today and all the information relating to this fights should remain secret to avoid exposing the nation’s strategies to the enemy and destroying global relations which contribute greatly in economic developments (CCR, 2017). National safety is an aspect that should never be risked at any given cost given that security forms the general basis for growth in general and thus SSP is suitable in hindering the progress of court cases that would result in national secrets disclosure.
The USA Patriot Act is mainly purposed for preserving individual’s lives and freedom which cannot be exercised without the presence of security an aspect that is well embraced by SSP (CCR, 2017). In reference to the Mohamed v. Jeppesen DataPlan, Inc. case, it is apparent that the victims deserved justice based on the torture that they had been subjected to (Quimbee, 2017). However, the proceeding of this case would have resulted in the revealing of nation’s secrets thus endangering associations with other states which would result in economic and social damages. SSP is justifiable given that it does not seek to prevent courts to exercise justice but is purposed to offer communal safety by preserving secrets while focusing on safety and national wellness. Despite its flaws, it results in the achievement of the greater good as it ensures that authority is never abused for the wellness of the state.
References
CCR. (2017). FAQs: What Are State Secrets? Retrieved from https://ccrjustice.org/home/get-involved/tools-resources/fact-sheets-and-faqs/faqs-what-are-state-secrets
Quimbee. (2017). Mohamed v. Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://www.quimbee.com/cases/mohamed-v-jeppesen-dataplan-inc
