I'm not sure if this is a big deal or not. The way Andy McCarthy writes it up, it sounds ominous. But I'd like to know if there is precedent for this kind of exemption that Obama has granted INTERPOL, and what the rest of it means as far as storing government files at the Justice Department that can't be accessed.

Reagan issued an executive order back in 1983 that granted INTERPOL some of the immunities that other diplomats get but specifically allowed for search and seizure by our law enforcement authorities on American soil while not exempting them from American law regarding surveillance and other privacy concerns.

McCarthy writing at NRO:

On Wednesday, however, for no apparent reason, President Obama issued an executive order removing the Reagan limitations. That is, Interpol's property and assets are no longer subject to search and confiscation, and its archives are now considered inviolable. This international police force (whose U.S. headquarters is in the Justice Department in Washington) will be unrestrained by the U.S. Constitution and American law while it operates in the United States and affects both Americans and American interests outside the United States.

Interpol works closely with international tribunals (such as the International Criminal Court - which the United States has refused to join because of its sovereignty surrendering provisions, though top Obama officials want us in it). It also works closely with foreign courts and law-enforcement authorities (such as those in Europe that are investigating former Bush administration officials for purported war crimes - i.e., for actions taken in America's defense).

Why would we elevate an international police force above American law? Why would we immunize an international police force from the limitations that constrain the FBI and other American law-enforcement agencies? Why is it suddenly necessary to have, within the Justice Department, a repository for stashing government files which, therefore, will be beyond the ability of Congress, American law-enforcement, the media, and the American people to scrutinize?

I would speculate that McCarthy has hit upon the reason; the president may solve the problem of "torture trials" by turning the whole thing over to the International Criminal Court. There are several hands in the Obama foreign policy shop who would support this move, while he would definitely get back in the good graces of his far left base.

But that's just speculation. Perhaps it's terrorism related. Maybe he's just trying to please his European friends.

I'd like to see some others - like Eugene Volohk or Richard Posner - weigh in on this before hitting the panic button.