TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
drone_ap980.jpg
The memo asserts that the United States - as part of its right to defend itself - can target al Qaeda operatives wherever they may be if they pose an imminent threat. (AP Photo/File)

This might be bigger than skeet shooting

BY Dave Ross  on February 6, 2013 @ 5:52 am (Updated: 6:08 am - 2/6/13 )

In 2011, a U.S. drone flying over Yemen, fired a missile and blew up alleged terrorist Anwar Al Awlaki.

"I could not reconcile between living in the U.S. and being a Muslim," Al Awlaki had said.

He was a radical Muslim - accused of inspiring the Times Square bomber, and the underwear bomber who tried to bring down a plane over Detroit.

But he was also an American citizen.

His demise is back in the news because of a Justice Department memo just disclosed by NBC.

The memo asserts that the United States - as part of its right to defend itself - can target al Qaeda operatives wherever they may be if they pose an imminent threat.

But it also states that defining someone as an imminent threat "does not require the United States to have clear evidence that a specific attack on US persons and interests will take place in the immediate future."

Which would seem rather broad.

The White House doesn't think so but look who does - on the left, MSNBC host Ed Schultz, "This document gives the president the ability act as judge, jury and executioner. I'm troubled by it."

And on the right, Fox's Sean Hannity, "Killing them without allowing any legal recourse, no safe guards in place?"

Hannity, I think it's fair to say is no fan of legal rights for terrorists.

It's one of those strange moments when voices on the right and on the left seem to be in agreement.

They seem to have noticed that in time of war, the law is not so much etched in stone as sketched in the clay of justice department memos - and interpreted in a way that justifies whatever action you've already decided to take.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (44)


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  • wsualumn wrote...
    The Guy...
    February 6, 2013 5:19 am
    Was an enemy and threat to this country. He let it be known in his videos. Hannity and the rest of The Faux News Bunch would have no problem with this policy if it were put in place by a GOP president.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • AKAF wrote...
    Actually...
    February 6, 2013 10:55 pm
    they did have a problem with this.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Hey Dave - and all the rest of you on the left - drones must be an OK hobby for the president because........
    February 6, 2013 5:21 am
    On the right - Fox News, and especially Sean Hannity,condemn it. ... and on the left - no one watched MSNBC, anyway.

    . Heck, Mr. Obama has had the drone habit for a couple of years now. More fun than most video games. .. And you don't get that stinky smoke, like from skeet shooting.

    .

    Of course, as time goes by, mistakes might be made. But it's such a beautiful friendship. Just a CinC and his drone.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    Federal, State & Local
    February 6, 2013 5:45 am

    Police have been acting as judge, jury and executioner for centuries in this country without any accountability and people celebrate there work depending on who it is at the end of that bullet.

    I find it comical that we have people that NOW have concerns about the legitimacy of these actions!!!

    An abitratror has already determine that our police does not have to tell the TRUTH and/our submit a TRUTHFUL police report. There job description does not incline them to be TRUTHFUL and/or act with CHARACTOR.

    So quit your whining, every single one of you has allowed this to happen and I am not talking about the elections on Nov 6th, this has been going on for at least a half a century.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Sports, it's just as wrong when thr police do it.
    February 6, 2013 6:18 am
    Sure, occasionally a Ian Burke is so blatant as to be called on the carpet, but too often there is professional immunity. ... And some of us have been complaining for half a century.

    But don't just blame the right. The ACLU these days is more concerned with entitlements than civil rights. ... And what would have been roundly condemned by the left were it republican policy is usually excused when THIS president does it.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    Ron
    February 6, 2013 6:51 am
    I was very clear in that I said ALL of us has allowed this to happen. I didn't bring up any political party in my post because both parties are complicit in this type of security for the government coming to fruition.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Mia Culpa
    February 6, 2013 7:34 am
    Bill Law's response confused me.

    But it is the neo-right, too. The 'patriot' act wasn't exactly written by the democrats.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    RonP
    February 6, 2013 10:50 am
    Billy Boys comments confuse lots of people. Billy Boy has a concealed weapon permit. Don't ya feel safer knowing that?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    ronp
    February 6, 2013 10:48 am
    The ACLU does not have an unlimited budget so and can't take on every cause. It needs to pick its battles
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleD wrote...
    This is where the Republitards take the side of al Qaeda
    February 6, 2013 5:46 am
    just so they can be against Obama.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    and this is where the left ignores civil rights...
    February 6, 2013 6:20 am
    just so they can support Obama.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @ron prevost
    February 6, 2013 8:58 am
    Actually I don't know anyone (on the Left) who agrees with Obama on drones. We (on the Left) are against drone killings. For the record I am not a democrat.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    back @ cigarfan
    February 6, 2013 9:08 am
    You may not personally know anyone on the left supporting the drone option, but certainly there must be a lot of support within the administration. .... And I would put Seattle D down as in full support of whatever Obama does.

    And also for the record, for anyone who doesn't already know, I'm a Reagan/Kemp Republican who never had any use for the Bush family (except maybe Millie, the dog)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CldWtrSrf wrote...
    SeattleD....you asslicker
    February 6, 2013 12:13 pm
    In case you haven't noticed, it's been Obama giving material support to Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria. I know you can't look at reality because your head is so far up there while you are lickingass you TOOL.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    The liberals will love this idea
    February 6, 2013 6:05 am
    once it is re-branded as "extreme late term abortion". Just don't call it torture. It's pro-choice...and Obama gets to choose.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Seattle Dbag.
    February 6, 2013 6:17 am
    So you support your Dear Leaders choices of who he wants to murder in the name of the regime's security? Non of his Muslim friends or his fraternal socialist brethren will ever have anything to fear from your Dear Leaders "Death from Above"!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleD wrote...
    There you have it, I've been proven true on the first page of comments
    February 6, 2013 6:21 am
    Billy boy, lauging boy, and Kersey boy all take the side of al Qaeda on this one.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    First WSAalumn
    February 6, 2013 6:42 am
    is right about Hannity... and I have no doubt that he would support it if a Republican had written it.. heck, Bush supported and enforced the policy. Only a fool uses Hannity the Entertainer as a New Source... Why isn't David Letterman cited next to Hannity?

    With regards to the MORONS who critisize Fox News - Try a reality check for a week.

    #1 Read the headlines of news agencies around the world.Pick, say 10 agencies.. including Al Jazeera, jang.com.pk.

    #2Read the headlines of MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and Fox.

    #3 Compare the storys - the same stories and you'll find MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, AP, and Reuters basically mimicking the same rhetoric.

    #4 Now for the shocker, you'll find Fox, Al Jezeera, Jang.com.pk, the Financial Times, and a few others almost identical in their reporting.

    #5 You'll find many more stories in the "So-Called" Conservative Media that you'll never see in the "So-Called" Main Stream Media.

    Let's take a simple example - Last week the unemployment numbers came out. Read the Headlines.. The "So-Called" mainstream media reported the numbers as "Extrememly Strong", "A Great Report", crap.. all absolute crap.. now google some historical news reports.. and see how they have reported the numbers in the past..

    my, my, my, It shows what an absolute Fool those like Wsualumn, Wonderfulone, and so many others... duped, manipulated, owned, slaves to the Liberal Media... incapable of independent thought, too lazy to find the truth, too blinded by ideology to accept reality.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    While most of the post tend to be another attack on political posturing, the real issue
    February 6, 2013 7:50 am
    Is about a President and administration that has taken upon itself to issue death warrants. We have repeatedly seen that the administration has already pushed the boundries on Health Care, Immigration, Gun trafficing through Fast and Furious, Energy manipulation, bugetary responsibility, vocal and public attack on the Supreme Court. He pretty much considers himself a Demigod and above reproach. So for all the liberal that love this approach to government just remember that some day he won't be president unless he appoints himself dictator, and things may all change 180 degrees against your wishes.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    Queen Hillary is on deck, so you might as well get your night guards now
    February 6, 2013 8:00 am
    You have a minimum of eight of teeth gnashing left.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    It was Staged Just like Sandy Hook.
    February 6, 2013 8:20 am
    All actors/ smoke and mirrors to go after the Second Admendment. Underware boomer Staged. Dave Ross works for the criminals.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    Newton, I heard they have an opening
    February 6, 2013 8:38 am
    At the new Citadel up in northern Idaho.

    Just send $208 to Christian Kerodin and he'll reserve a space for you.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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