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What's the difference using drones or FBI sharpshooters? If Timothy McVey was known to be on a road with a truck full of explosives intent upon blowing up a building, would the use of a drone to stop him been appropriate?
That's not as big an issue as if he was driving to Walmart for some socks on a Sunday and the gov't decided to drone strike him then. Which is what Obama & Holder are arguing is w/in their power.
I don't understand how a President publicly defending his authority to assassinate citizens at his discretion is so divisive. We've ousted or put on trial several foreign leaders for doing just that!
That's not as big an issue as if he was driving to Walmart for some socks on a Sunday and the gov't decided to drone strike him then. Which is what Obama & Holder are arguing is w/in their power.
It's not even an issue as we can already address it with law abiding measures.
What's the difference using drones or FBI sharpshooters? If Timothy McVey was known to be on a road with a truck full of explosives intent upon blowing up a building, would the use of a drone to stop him been appropriate?
Let's expand your scenario and assume we don't know where hypothetical Timmy is located.
The Obama doctrine allows the droning of every Ryder truck driven by a skinny white dude.
The use of force has always been used to stop a driver that won't stop. Nobody is against that.
First off deadly force would only be authorized if the driver posed an imminent threat.
Sen. Paul is definitely questioning that authority. After all AG Holder had responded to him that:
"As a policy matter, moreover, we reject the use of military force where well-established law enforcement authorities in this country provide the best means for incapacitating a terrorist threat. We have a long history of using the criminal justice system to incapacitate individuals located in our country who pose a threat to the United States and its interests abroad."
Sen. Paul found that response unacceptable, because Sen. Paul wanted to know if the administration felt authorized to use other means. The administration is authorized under certain circumstances to use other means, which would include the use of drones.
That's not as big an issue as if he was driving to Walmart for some socks on a Sunday and the gov't decided to drone strike him then. Which is what Obama & Holder are arguing is w/in their power.
I don't understand how a President publicly defending his authority to assassinate citizens at his discretion is so divisive. We've ousted or put on trial several foreign leaders for doing just that!
The Obama administration has never argued that they have the authority to drone strike someone who is just driving to Walmart for socks.
Let's expand your scenario and assume we don't know where hypothetical Timmy is located.
The Obama doctrine allows the droning of every Ryder truck driven by a skinny white dude.
To me, the important thing is that we are finally having this discussion. Those of you who dismiss Senator Paul's questions, I don't get you. Can't we even have this discussion about executive power? Why are you afraid even to talk about it? There should have been a debate on the floor of the Senate, but because the Senate leadership didn't want to do that, Rand Paul was forced to address it with a filibuster.
It's absolutely true - google "signature" strikes.
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