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Imagine if past presidents had tried to employ drones like Obama. Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum sounds off
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Tonight -- gate is heating up in Washington but Rush Limbaugh is already on fire.
This is from NBC and -- -- saying confidential.
Justice Department memo concludes that the United States government I even President Obama.
Ordering the killing me.
-- American citizens.
If they are believed to -- senior operational leaders of al-Qaeda or am associated.
Force even if there isn't any intelligence indicating.
That they're engaged in an active plot to attack the United States and readiness care.
-- a really wide net because.
It almost sounds like you don't even have to be a senior operational leader of al-Qaeda or an associate what actually.
An associated force.
It is interesting.
If -- this wouldn't get into this provision had been in place back in the seventies does this mean in the Nixon.
Could have assassinated the weatherman does this mean.
Richard Nixon.
Could have taken -- the new Black Panther Party -- -- Nixon could -- -- -- And -- them.
Bill Ayers the weatherman he had an active plot against the US bombed the Pentagon.
That means if if if this if Nixon had -- the kind of power and Almonte is assuming you could hang out.
Senate commando team around the -- -- -- players.
You can't kill -- world -- -- you cannot fight written by it by law we cannot assassinate.
Point -- we can now kill Americans.
As long as we say.
They are related to -- Qaeda somehow.
And then -- link.
Isn't too tough al-Qaeda hates America all you have to do is -- hate America and it couldn't read.
Sand then you are an associated force and remember on all of -- Anger him and the left hand over water morning.
I think I have this right -- constitutional.
Scholar Morocco bomb.
It -- demanding the right to kill American citizens.
Without making his case to a judge.
As long as he thinks.
The American in question is -- and upper -- of operations and al-Qaeda or any related groups.
-- he can't waterborne because.
You can't kill him but we can't water -- We can kill the -- of -- but we can't torturing.
I got this right -- First there Rick Santorum joins -- serious -- It's great to be back -- and Russia had it right and that's the hypocrisy of all this that you have administration that wanted to do have civilian trials for four terrorists.
And not even American citizens but I have civilian trials for four for everyone and I just think that.
-- -- hypocrisy of now saying we're gonna be able to kill them if we suspect.
That they are a senior level operative is is this hypocrisy.
Kill Americans to America -- the -- as the distinction sell so I agree Russ is actually right on now let's get to the policy.
The policy itself so he is a hypocrite OK let's let's put that in place body meeting -- the president this four for the positions he's taken -- by the way so -- everybody on the left to complained about a bush.
And his tactics and comparing that with Obama -- as I get date -- you don't hear them complaining.
About the present and what he's doing but let's look at the policy and I have my concern is.
That.
If that American citizen is in theater is in Afghanistan or was in -- -- in the theater of operation where there is active hostility going against the United States.
And there's American citizen you know in the mountains of and Afghanistan.
Then I think that policy makes sense identity -- citizen if that -- here in the -- states obviously we shouldn't be it we should be able to kill American citizen here in the United States.
You know because of that suspicion.
And I would have I would have a much higher threshold.
Doing so in countries outside of the -- of operate.
And they give you.
Some examples a sixteen year old America and how whose father was -- terrorist but he was not in the Yemen.
Now that's not that's not Afghanistan.
That's not Iraq right there have been protests against United States haven't haven't protest against United States and Europe and I mean in in Paris and London or time and -- their protests against America lots of places yeah yemen's not a war zone for -- not like Afghanistan.
I would agree with that -- and to me that would come down to OK what what alternatives you have.
If if that's sixteen year old first -- how good is your intelligence and how how reliable -- and again.
Japan don't Wear this terrorist is rope or suspect this Harris Allen wrong to tell this is brought this dog underdog -- again.
You have to -- upon how how strong your intelligence is how reliable and again.
If they're outside a theater you have to have -- better intelligence number two -- a look at the country and that your -- Do we have a government in Yemen that we can work -- to be able to do something to capture this person or two or or take action against this person.
Short of a drone attack this is actually against somebody who turns out not to be a terrorist I don't get it but but my my point is.
There is always the the occasion a bad intelligence.
So the question is I'd rather if the bad intelligence about such an American.
With an al-Qaeda group in Afghanistan.
I'll live with that intelligence what's that person doing their -- obviously they're doing some things that they should be a decision an -- -- a terrorist camp in Afghanistan.
If they're sitting with potential terrorists and -- that's a different story and they're obviously not directly impacted so you need more intelligence in the second thing is.
If you have a relationship if that person was in France would obviously work cooperatively France and be able to address that issue because we have that relationship there.
We may not have that relationship in Yemen and therefore you may have alternatively you may have to take alternative -- -- well.
John Brennan who is -- nominee Fred directors CA has described it I think as self defense.
Okay and ended a drone that you know -- -- against -- an American.
I had a how many I'm probably yeah.
Let's go back to the -- -- too Parker's first the hypocrisy argument.
-- John Brennan and and all of his help where folks who were.
You know criticizing.
The last criticizing.
That President Bush for going into Iraq on a on preemption on on on self defense before we were attacked.
And the left has been.
The going -- it for eight years.
It did you know bush lied people died all -- based on the on the issue preemption.
And here we have now this administration who was against all of this now saying the same rationale that that that President Bush.
I just let that's 31 issue that hypocrisy is one issue an area and -- I'd give that one TO.
But I am not troubled by the fact that and this is also serve lived in the hypocrisy is that there was a big discussion with a new -- registration wanted to bring to get -- Who were foreigners not Americans to New York.
And given trials where they have lawyers and rights to -- PO cross examination decided by a jury.
And yet here under this government program -- high government official item that govern official as is judge jury and executioner of Americans don't have those rights.
I again.
I -- concerned about the hypocrisy of -- governor -- can't.
Beginning travel event I look again I would say it has to be depend on the circumstances and and you know my feeling is that.
In certain circumstances.
That option should be available to president.
But it should be.
Very good intelligence is as you know high threshold of the standard it has to be a country where we're -- -- -- -- -- Part of Yemen would be I am I again based on the circumstances it would be a higher threshold I'm not so I'm not I I think -- an early it would not necessarily be out.
But other countries -- have relations as we do -- for government I would say we should not be doing drone attack a quick question -- -- sixteen any Iraqi president I am open -- that that we have the chairman of the party here so -- -- -- I don't wanna announce in front of him but we've we've been talking and I'll be talking a lot of other folks and we're certainly open to not to look at that -- success definitely not -- no definitely not enough and I sent an -- is he has -- thank you very.
