Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich take on W.H. over legality of drone strikes

[Wehrwolfen]

Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich take on White House over legality of drone strikes

11/28/2012
Nicholas Ballasy

Democratic Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Republican Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Democratic New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt Jr. are challenging the Obama administration to release documents it uses to legally justify drone strikes overseas.

If passed by Congress, their “resolution of inquiry” would require Attorney General Eric Holder to “transmit to the House of Representatives not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, any documents and legal memoranda in the Attorney General’s possession relating to the practice of targeted killing of United States citizens and targets abroad.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, Kucinich said national security concerns do not justify unconstitutional measures.

“We must reject the notion that protecting our national security requires revoking the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. No president can act as judge, jury and executioner, and any attempt to do so is in direct violation of our Constitution, which gives our citizens a right to life and a fair trial,” Kucinich said.

[excerpt]


Read more:
Ron Paul, Kucinich take on White House over drone strikes | The Daily Caller

 

[zzzz]

The war on terrorism ... is that still going on....

In WWII there was no problem in killing thousands of civilians to destroy the enemies will and capability to wage war.

 

[Old Rocks]

So the fruitloops on either extreme would tie the hands of our nation in protecting itself.

The present policy, which I approve of, is that if you attempt to harm Americans, whether successful or not, there will be consequences. And if you hide in a nation or place where we cannot get at you inside a legal framework, we will get you outside the legal framework. There is no place on earth, and no citizenship that will protect you.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

“According to a memorandum prepared by the White House Office of Legal Counsel, when the United States conducts such an attack it is legal. The Congress and the American people have a right to know this legal framework. Congress has an obligation as the sole authority under the Constitution to declare war to know how the use of force abroad is being used, especially against U.S. citizens.”

And Congress foolishly abdicated the sole authority to declare war when it enacted the WPA.

In 1990 Congress tired and failed to get that authority back. See: Dellums v. Bush. With the courts refusing – correctly – to get involved in a conflict between the Executive and Legislative Branches, presidents for almost the last 40 years have used the Act to avoid Congressional interference and have further ignored the WPA as an un-Constitutional infringement on the CE’s authority as C-in-C.

This new effort will fail as well.

 

[Wehrwolfen]

The war on terrorism ... is that still going on....

In WWII there was no problem in killing thousands of civilians to destroy the enemies will and capability to wage war.

Hmm..., wasn't that led by FDR a Democrat and the Truman also a Democrat. Heard they ordered the fire bombing of Hamburg, Desden, Cologne and then Tokyo. Then there were the American casualties of D-Day in Europe and lets not forget the casulaties in Tarawa, Kawajelein, Iwo Jima, and Okinowa. Did anyone forget the forgotten war of Korea that Truman gave us. Even Vietnam was started by JFK, the intensified by LBJ. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died because of Democratic Party leadership. Lest we forget. Could we have prevented any of this? You decide.

 

[Old Rocks]

Ever hear of Pearl Harbor, Nanking, Rotterdam? JFK inherited Vietnam from Eisenhower.

Maybe you should read at least a little bit of history before demonstrating what a fool you are.

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - if dey's on American spoil - put a Predator missile up dey's poop-chute...

US Lawmakers Seek Answers on Legality of Domestic Drone Strikes
March 06, 2013 — For years, the United States has used drone aircraft to attack suspected terrorists in other nations. Now, America’s top law enforcement official has not entirely ruled out a president ordering drone strikes on U.S. soil.

Attorney General Eric Holder testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee amid a firestorm on Capitol Hill over presidential authority in times of crisis. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy posed this question: “Can you agree there is no scenario where it would be appropriate to use an armed drone on U.S. soil to strike an American citizen?”

Holder’s response was less than definitive. “The government has no intention to carry out any drone strikes in the United States,"he said. "It is hard for me to imagine a situation in which that would occur. We have within the United States the ability to use our law enforcement capacity.” The “no intention” assertion does not satisfy Republican Rand Paul, who took to the Senate floor moments later. Paul noted that Holder speaks for President Barack Obama on legal matters. “The president says, ‘I have not killed anyone yet,'" said Paul. "He goes on to say, ‘I have no intention of killing Americans, but I might.’ Is that enough? Are we satisfied by that?”

In a letter to Senator Paul made public Tuesday, Holder said the only conceivable scenario where a president might order a military strike on U.S. soil would be an extraordinary circumstance like the 2001 al-Qaida terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. At the hearing, the attorney general repeatedly said it would not be “appropriate” to order a strike on a terror suspect spotted eating in a café or walking down a street. Holder said regular law enforcement can be used to apprehend suspects in non-emergency situations. Lawmakers urged the Obama administration to fully disclose its thinking on this issue. “American citizens have a right to understand when their life can be taken by their government, absent due process," said Republican Senator Chuck Grassley.

That sentiment was echoed by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who serves on the Judiciary Committee and is chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “Our job is vigorous oversight of the intelligence community," she said. "We cannot do this unless we see the legal underpinnings for certain kinds of activities, particularly clandestine activities.” Holder said he expects President Obama to personally address the topic in coming months. Administration officials are already on record defending drone strikes outside the United States, including the killing of U.S. citizens believed to be plotting attacks from afar. Concern over the drone program has delayed Senate confirmation of President Obama’s pick to head the CIA, former counterterrorism advisor John Brennan.

Source

 

[aaronleland]

The only bipartisanship going on in Washington is to stop killing people, and most Democrats and Republicans oppose it. And people wonder why the world seems so fucked up.