Can the President Kill Indiscriminately?

[Flatspriest]

Probably because there are many on the left who've tried to rationalize it and/or distance Obama from it in their arguments. I've heard things like "he's being forced to do it by the military industrial complex!" from some on the left.

The thing is though, he is the Commander in Chief of the entire military so they cannot force him to do anything.

[Wells]

I specifically said I was NOT talking about "liberals in general". To which you have now responded, twice, with "LA LA LA LA LA CAN'T HEAR YOU, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIBERALS IN GENERAL!"

And not that it really matters but the quote from another thread was a comment about racism, specifically about Trayvon Martin, and had zero to do with rape.

You go right on rocking that confirmation bias.

[Maleficus]

If the GOP were in power now we'd have the same authoritarianism abroad that we have now. Plus we'd have all the GOP's other awful shit.

Providing no evidence other than your own validation of your posts = even more cool than future / alternative reality facts. Ideological blinders are a real bitch. However, you get a pass since you summarized with "...in the minds of liberals..."

[Roose]

Democrats aren't liberals though. They're mostly centrists.

I am just tired of liberals being lumped in with Democrats. Democrats wish they were liberals. Sorry if that seemed argumentative.

[Deadvolcanoes]

I support the drone program no matter who's in office. I don't support vague/shady worded memos that justify the extrajudicial killings of Americans no matter who's in office.

Getting pretty tired of being told I'm giving Obama a pass on these policies just because he's Obama and not Bush.

[Magpai]

You go right on rocking that confirmation bias.

You go ahead with your inept trolling, because no one could be that stupid on accident.

Infracted: Please do not insult other users

[Wells]

Providing no evidence other than your own validation of your posts = even more cool than future / alternative reality facts. Ideological blinders are a real bitch. However, you get a pass since you summarized with "...in the minds of liberals..."

I don't have any burden of evidence here. I didn't make factual claims. I explained perceived outcomes.

[Roose]

I have seen particularly zealous Obama fans scramble to make backward-logic justifications for this sort of thing in the past, but my comment above was not directed towards liberals in general, so sorry if you thought it applied to you.

Obama fans are not really liberals. They want to be, but they do not walk the walk. Sick of people saying Obama is a liberal.

[Kraenen]

Like I said, you're railing against "liberals in general" while coming right out of a thread about the GOP and rape rhetoric saying what I quoted there.

You're just being hypocritical. Apparently your broad stroke summation of liberals is ok. But heaven help us if anyone says the same about the GOP and rape/abortion/women.

---------- Post added 2013-02-06 at 03:01 AM ----------



Democrats aren't liberals though. They're mostly centrists.

democrats are even more left than liberals? when'd this happen?

[Roose]

I support the drone program no matter who's in office. I don't support vague/shady worded memos that justify the extrajudicial killings of Americans no matter who's in office.

Getting pretty tired of being told I'm giving Obama a pass on these policies just because he's Obama and not Bush.

You may not have opposed Bush doing this sort of thing, but Democrats would have pushed hard.

I am also all for using drones instead of risking troops' lives. That to me is not even an issue. The issue is how and why they are being used, and that they are so vague and secretive. Obama has shown no respect for due process.

[Maleficus]

I don't have any burden of evidence here. I didn't make factual claims. I explained perceived outcomes.

"If the GOP were in power now we'd have the same authoritarianism abroad that we have now. Plus we'd have all the GOP's other awful shit."

Don't worry about it, friendo. You clearly made a statement as fact. It really is OK, just tighten up the blinders a bit more.

[Roose]

democrats are even more left than liberals? when'd this happen?

Are you confusing conservative and liberal?

[Magpai]

Obama fans are not really liberals. They want to be, but they do not walk the walk. Sick of people saying Obama is a liberal.

"but my comment above was not directed towards liberals in general"

"but my comment above was not directed towards liberals in general"

"but my comment above was not directed towards liberals in general"

"but my comment above was not directed towards liberals in general"

---------- Post added 2013-02-06 at 03:24 AM ----------

democrats are even more left than liberals? when'd this happen?

If the "They" quoted referred to Democrats, then Democrats would be centrists whereas liberals would be presumably left.

[Kraenen]

Are you confusing conservative and liberal?

no. liberal is generally center right wing, conservative is right wing.

[Wells]

no. liberal is generally center right wing, conservative is right wing.

huh?

10 char.

[Roose]

no. liberal is generally center right wing, conservative is right wing.

Oh, you actually think that Democrats are liberals. That is your mistake.

[Vyxn]

It shouldn't matter if you are a republican or a democrat a liberal or a conservative
it is a very serious matter when the executive branch of the government ignores a basic right granted to all American citizens by the constitution that gives us due process of the law and grants it self the power to assassinate any citizen they feel is a threat

[GreatOak]

Liberals arent supposed to be left. Theyre supposed to be in the Center. American liberals warped the term quite awhile ago, abandoning much of the economic freedoms that it entailed, and many of them are ardent apologists for Obama because they wished so hard that he would be different. Many of them lay silent when their team captain is the bad guy. The same people who railed against Bush for doing much of the same things have vanished. Al Sharpton and the other mainstream pundits are MIA. I applaud the liberals who are principled and dont defend this tyrannical President when he does these types of things (see below video). It's a shame they aren't the majority. I just think its because people in general arent very knowledgeable and lack political efficacy, no matter which "team" they associate themselves with. I don't know how anyone could vote for such a person in good conscience if they disagree with this policy. Why are people so willing to enslave themselves?

[Zechs-cenarius]

Certain criteria must be met, per the memo:

1) Target must be outside the United States.
2) Target must be a senior, operational member of al Qaeda or affiliated groups.
3) Is an imminent threat to the United States
4) Capturing individual is not possible.

So no, not indiscriminately.

However, the language in this memo is incredibly vague. Their definition of "imminent threat" is frightening at best. No evidence of an active plot required? That's not imminent.

Not really too pleased with the administration over this one, but I do realize we are not privy to a great deal of information.

This pretty much sums it up. I do not think, regardless of my views against him, he would just up and kill an american citizen without that individual being a clear and present danger to national security. Man...the day I come to Obama's side on an issue, what a day! lol.

[Kraenen]

Oh, you actually think that Democrats are liberals. That is your mistake.

huh? then what are they if not liberals?