A Defense Department white paper, likely leaked by a Senator on the Intelligence Committee, advocates killing U.S. citizens abroad who are working with terrorist groups…no news there. But it also loosens up the definition of what justifies a drone-launched hellfire hit to the point where Americans will have to trust that the president killed him because some men just need killin’.
Call it the Obama Drone Doctrine, the white paper — which is not classified and does not carry the weight of law — actually expands on previous statements made by White House Counterterrorism Director John Brennan, and Attorney General Eric Holder. Brennan is Obama’s nominee for CIA director, facing Senate confirmation hearings this week.
It’s not an illegal assassination, according to the 16-page white paper, even if the uncharged, unconvicted U.S. citizen doesn’t seem to be planning any specific, imminent attack on U.S. interests. The president can order a citizen killed even if he thinks it might be too risky to capture him.
Even the chattering Left acknowledges that this would have been a huge controversy if it had come up during the Bush administration.
But I’m tired of saying and hearing: “Can you imagine what they would have said if Bush did this?” The Bush v. Obama comparisons get us nowhere.
Let’s examine this on its own merits. Bush is not the benchmark for appropriate exercise of presidential power, the Constitution is.
The real question: “Can you imagine if a president of the United States did this?”
The President of the United States of America just declared himself dictator and tossed the Constitution into the dumpster.
“The real question: “Can you imagine if a president of the United States did this?””
Good thing we have an emperor, then.
Sorry to be the contrarian here, but I think if GW Bush had instituted this doctrine most conservatives would have said “Yeah, go get those damn traitors!” I don’t think we would have had a problem with the government expending a few Hellfires on people like Adam Gadahn and Anwar al-Awlaki. Seems to me due process only becomes an issue when it’s Obama’s policy rather than a Republican’s.
Correct me if I’m wrong. It might just be that we trusted Bush than we trust Obama when it comes to summarily executing the correct American citizens. If that’s the case, we should just say so. Obama is not Bush, Bush was not Obama. There’s no reason to be consistent in our positions if external factors have changed.
the real point is that Bush DIDN”T do this and tha is what is wrong with your arguement, yes we used drones during President Bush tenure but we didn’t target U.S. citizens. A citizen is supposed to have right unless they are in open combat against America then their status canches and they are the same as any other terrorist and may be killed by any method needed, as long as non-combatants are kept out of harms way. This is actually a very important tenent of U.S. doctrine and NO president has the right to take away OUR rights
I am sorry Folks, but I am laughing…
Think about this:
this is the president who wants to promote…
GUN CONTROL !!!!!!!!
But fir himself, instead of a nice, I don’t know…Holland and Holland for safaris, for himself he wants an Hellfire !
It could be a psychological compensation, who knows…
RE: Bush vs. Obama. Gonzales and Yoo were hounded from office for making a similar proposition. My guess is that the Administration Press [MSM] will not even comment on this.
Secondly, it was of questionable legality under Bush and probably is under 0, too. And, does 0 intend to follow on and say this also applies in the U.S. if and when he finds an Al Qaeda leader here?
So we spend over half million dollars to provide a defense to foreign terrorists but we can just execute Americans on site?
I’m thinking back to 1972…..Jane Fonda is cavorting with the enemy, in enemy territory where our men are being slaughtered, wearing the uniform of the enemy, she supports all the bomb-throwing Bill Ayers-types of America…..would Obama agree a drone strike would have been perfectly acceptable then? Would someone please ask him THAT question?