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The hypocrisy of Obama's drone program

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    President's policy shift ignored by mainstream media

  • Duration 9:48
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Tonight we begin with a follow up to a very troubling story about the president's targeted drone killings program now as we told you yesterday.

According to a leaked it Justice Department memo the president apparently believes that he now has the legal justification.

To kill American citizens overseas.

If they are suspected of terrorist activity.

And are believed to pose an imminent threat to America now the criteria of course is very subjective.

Now well on the eve of John -- confirmation hearing -- the CIA director this is undoubtedly gonna become a hot issue if not an obstacle to his confirmation.

How -- is widely seen as the architect of the administration's killed policy.

And the person -- specifically convinced the president of this program's value now so far under this program three Americans have already been targeted and killed.

Among them Islamic cleric suspected terrorists on -- -- lucky.

And just moments ago we learn from a top Obama official that the Justice Department will give the senate and house Intelligence Committees.

Access to classified legal advice.

Providing the government's rationale for these drone strikes has a story develops the glare of the president's hypocrisy is now on display.

-- it comes to fighting the war on terror it's quite -- let me lay this out for you -- just a few short months after taking office.

This president set out on his apology for remember he delivered the statements.

9/11 was an enormous trauma.

To our country.

The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable.

But in some cases it led us to act contrary.

To our traditions and our ideals.

We are taking concrete actions to change course.

I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States.

Waterboarding is torture.

It's contrary to America's provisions.

Discovery's core -- That's not who we are just not how we operate we don't need it in -- to and prosecute the war on terrorism.

Aren't so Barry is all sanctimonious telling the world America does not torture.

Well let's fast forward a few years and look where we stand now we're now a country whose president now by his own doing.

Has the unchecked authority to kill American citizens.

All of a sudden I guess waterboarding -- really seem that bad.

-- remind you we only water boarded three known high value terrorist detainees and that included 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohamed.

-- these techniques were never used against American citizens no terrorist who was ever water -- was ever killed.

This drone program -- ready killed three American citizens.

But don't tell that to President Bush.

He was made into a modern day -- pillow behind by the left for his support of just enhanced interrogation remember this.

And as also client.

But he has the authority to kidnap individuals.

On the streets of foreign cities.

And deliver them for imprisonment.

And interrogation on our behalf.

By autocratic regimes and nations that are -- -- for that cruel thing.

Other techniques.

For torture and -- you admitted that there were these CIA secret facilities.

So what -- that -- within the law the head of Amnesty International says secret sites are against international law we just agree -- disagree with him.

And plus my job is to protect you what is this water -- that the president so readily embraces.

It sounds a little lock -- cousin of skateboarding -- -- snowboarding.

But in fact it is a new name had -- an -- water torture in which a human being is ground.

Now some Democrats have come Florida criticizes kill policy but I'm really curious if tomorrow when John Brennan goes before the senate.

Is he gonna get the same type of scrutiny the President Bush did and I really hope that the news networks and liberal critics that of this serrated bush -- waterboarding.

One of they'll take the same tone -- -- program that frankly makes enhanced interrogation techniques well look like child's play.

How lastly before bring in my guest I wanna play for you a very interesting parallel in relation to the strong program.

It was made by Rush Limbaugh perhaps his statements.

Maybe these will resonate with the president because it kinda hits home.

If this provision had been in place back in the seventies does this mean that Nixon.

Could have assassinated the -- Does this mean the Nixon -- taken on Bill Gates.

Does this mean that.

Richard Nixon.

Could have taken out the new Black Panther Party.

Obviously bill air streaming out of sort through all this upon -- former.

Congressman Peter -- he was the former house intelligence committee chair and Fox News military analyst lieutenant colonel bill -- We get this straight kernel so waterboarding.

That's torture that's that is against our values and our ideals and our traditions.

But it's -- right to just kill somebody.

If we're out where they outrage here we're -- this is unbelievable really.

Quite a contrast John no question about it and they're -- -- -- even if Romney had won the presidency.

And this news it just mentally you know that the left would be all over him blaming him for this memo.

That was written sometime back in the show on my I have no problem with the girl broke our program I don't have a real problem waterboarding of his -- American lives.

The issue with the drone program -- and I have no problem with killing Americans overseas.

Were part of a terrorist organization.

The issue is it's just -- beginning of a slippery slope.

-- we don't see any real boundaries Q how long do -- -- to go from killing Americans overseas with drones to killing Americans here in this country with -- and I'll remind you.

-- your audience that DA just had a novel here a couple of years ago that said.

Vietnam are veterans of the war.

That this Second Amendment supporters -- anti abortion -- and anti immigration people were all potential terrorists please see this thread got to make its way to a point where.

Drones are used in the united.

State failed congressman -- the point the -- make it here because these.

Standards are vaguely defined.

Easily manipulated for nefarious purposes in some cases and they even say that.

Well if they believe a threat to -- is imminent even when no threat of attack -- immediately present that doesn't make any sense.

The target must have been recently involved in activities they don't they don't define recently they don't have define activities.

Sounds like they could just pick and choose.

You know judge jury executioner here.

Am I reading too much in that I have that too much.

I don't.

I think you're reading exactly what that memos -- it's very very clear and I think.

The last point you just made is the point that all Americans should be concerned about.

This gives the president the administration one branch of government way too much authority.

What we need in this process and what we fought continually -- the Bush Administration as they went through the process.

Is make sure that the administration as they carried out enhanced interrogation techniques as they carried out a drone program.

To make sure that there were rigorous enforceable standards that were measurable and make sure that and other branches of government in this case.

The Intelligence Committees of the house and the senate.

Would have access to review and provide the appropriate oversight.

To protect the constitution and to protect all Americans the president is taking all of this authority.

To himself he is the judge the jury in the executioner that is absolutely 100%.

-- is a real life license to kill without any standards on the White House is saying they're defending it.

As legal ethical and wise but let's go back let's compare this to the anger among prominent Democrats over the issue of waterboarding.

Watch this.

There is no appropriate torture.

Period we've been arguing that for a long time they have been arguing to be allowed to torture.

This is the first administration in American history vice president United States says we should be allowed to torture they argued for torture for a loophole that allowed them to do it.

Now the president stands up and says the United States doesn't -- -- am opposed to always have -- to torture.

Waterboarding is torture America is better than torture and we're law abiding country.

And the law says torture is not permissible and it is not a military actually have a prisoner.

To torture him.

It's against the law can you mr.

vice president ever envision a time when.

Waterboarding should be used on anyone.

No.

No no.

I want effective.

It's not effective.

Correct it's not effective.

A staggering colonel a staggering act of duplicity and hypocrisy.

It's torture and not allowed but killing.

Without due process it is.

Well beam me up Scotty help me out here colonel.

90 John you're absolutely right then and I'll tell you again I don't think that waterboarding is torture I think it's a lot of discomfort.

And I disagree totally with -- vice president of course waterboarding can get people to talk that -- saved American lives.

We ought to be doing it whatever we asked -- not to just everybody out there but two particular bad guys.

But -- compare waterboarding.

As a -- general -- with killing Americans just don't.

Totally do end of the spectrum show on a tight spectrum but to end of the spectrum and it's arguably that we're not that that the left of the congress hasn't really gone after.

The program I saw mark -- bad guys -- drones but I don't supported the way it's laid out that memo it's it's too much obviously there's no criteria.

That you just say what we thought so that's it.

Guys thank you very much -- -- more on this coming up in the program.

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