President Obama's Private War

The Constitution limits the presidential use of war powers to those necessary for an immediate defense of the United States or those exercised pursuant to a valid congressional declaration of war. In this case of Pakistan, the president has neither. And international law prohibits entering a sovereign country without its consent. But Brennan argued that the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which Congress enacted in 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11 to enable President Bush to pursue the perpetrators of 9/11, is essentially carte blanche for any president to kill whomever he wants, and that the use of drones, rather than the military or rather than arresting those the government believes have conspired to harm us, is a "surgical" technique that safeguards the innocent.

In his three-plus years in office, Obama has launched 254 drones toward persons in Pakistan, and they collectively have killed 1,277 persons there. The New America Foundation, a Washington think tank that monitors the presidential use of drones in Pakistan, estimates that between 11 and 17 percent of the drone victims are innocent Pakistani civilians. So much for Brennan's surgical strikes. So much for Holder's due process.

www.foxnews.com...

I know this is fox news but the article is written by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano, a source that I have found to be above the usual fox nonsense and a voice of reason in unreasonable times. I encourage everyone to read the entire article because their is much left for the discussion that I am unable to add to this thread.

Pakistan has asked us to stop using drones to attack people in their country. International law prohibits entering a sovereign country without its consent. The justification the White house uses is that the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed by congress in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks (to go after the terrorist accused directly of the attacks) gives the president the power to kill anybody, anywhere for whatever reasons that president see's fit.

This combined with Eric Holders reinterpretation of "Due Process" allowing the President to order the death of even American citizens without any trial, arrest or even charges filed paints a grim picture.

When realized (as the article states) that over 300 drones are already owned by local American Governments how long before these attacks start being ordered a little closer to home? They are already clearing airspace for them.

This is extremely disconcerting. Hundreds of innocent people have already been killed, the president has the "legal" authority to kill anybody he likes in the world and the United States has been declared a "battle field" in the war on terror with the 2012 NDAA.

Even if you completely trust President Obama, these unconstitutional "laws" and assumed powers are not going anywhere. How long do you think it will be before their is a president in office that you don't trust?

It is clear that no one person should have the power to be the judge, jury and executioner of any person. These powers are going to be slowly used against us, whether it takes 1 year, 10 years or 100 years, the presumed authority and legal defense is already on the books. How long do you think it will be before it is unleashed on the american public? It is simply an eventuality. The rule of law is being bypassed in the name of "fighting terror" and it will only be a matter of time before it bites us.

How long before these drones will be used on "home grown terrorist" without charges filed, arrest made or any due process observed? When given the broad definition of what the government considers to be "home grown terrorist" we should all be very, very worried here in the States. By accepting that the President can kill innocent people in Pakistan we are accepting that the President can also kill us. This President or any President in the future.

This is very disturbing. I wonder if any president will ever reverse this??

We Americans need to exercise our RIGHT to vote this November -- before we lose the right.

Think it isnt possible?

Think again.

This, of course, concerns me immensely. However, I am getting up in years but I still have children. I may or may not live to see the worst of it, whatever "it" turns out to be, but what about our kids? Many, many times I have appropriately applied the rationale for something as doing what's right for them. So now on the heels of this type of governmental assault on rights and privacy, would you believe we need to stand up against such in the name of our children? Am I a hypocrite for not doing so when I did chastise a local news team for filming my 11 year son as he left class one day as a violation of his rights to safety on the basis they were intruding?

By the way, the news team shoved a camera in my face, I shoved it away, they filed "assault by contact" charges against me, and now I have to hire an attorney. My comment at the time was that if I was intending to assault them they would have needed to call an ambulance, not the local foot patrol.

But I digress. I want to be an example to my kids, as close to a model citizen as possible, teach them to fend for themselves and when necessary, I believe it one of the most cardinal of life's rules, I must protect them when they are not in a position to do so themselves.

Can anyone tell me how to be the best parent regarding these drones likely being here to stay long after I'm gone? Do I invite so much scrutiny by protesting that TPTB come and haul Daddy away and then I can do nothing for them at all? I would gladly and without hesitation jump in front of a bus for them, but I'm sincerely at a loss as to what I can or should not do in their best interests.

Yes,
Because ROMNEY will do differently, right?

your all deluding yourselves!

.. and its worrying because we (the rest of the world) suffer the consequences of Americas stupidity and greed!

reply to post by Agit8dChop


The only person to mention Romney in this thread is you. Who exactly is it you are addressing?

reply to post by samstone11


So much of what you wrote rings true to me. The country has fundamentally changed over quite a few generations. Little by little. The odds do seem to be against us and the country we were born into no longer exists. I have no idea how to answer your questions. They are questions I myself have as well. Unfortunately the story you told, I feel the circumstances are all too common in this america.

My opinions... The american dream is now a mirage. The march towards socialism has been steady for a long time and it is progressing quicker than ever before. The federal government is turning to totalitarianism. Individual Rights have been exchanged for collective rights. Not everyone sees this or will agree but to me, I am convinced that the country is doomed. The future is clear unless somehow we can change paths. Unmanned aircraft patrolling the skies, secret prisons for government dissenters, the end of the rule of law, no due process and a complete forfeiture of rights. The laws are already on the books to make this so, the only question is when it will be rolled out. I don't mean to sound as if there is no hope, just that hope is in short supply.

reply to post by sageofmonticello


anyone who believes that removing Obama will solve the problem.
not just this thread but ATS in general, everyone is attacking Obama like ants to chicken.. do they not take a moment to look at the alternative if they get their way?

reply to post by phantomjack


OMG is now Obama Must Go!

Dumping Obama won't solve our problems, but it is a step in that direction. The argument that the other guy isn't going to be any better doesn't sit right with me. My goodness, he could not be any worse. I truly believe Obama has no conscience. The Fast and the Furious demonstrates the lengths this administration will go to (murder) to push their anti-gun agenda. Their anti-gun sentiments have nothing to do with saving lives, obviously. It's all about controlling the masses.