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Subscribe to RSSTop White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan said today that Al Qaeda is now "on the path to its destruction" in a major speech that for the first time publicly acknowledged the role of "targeted strikes" using remotely piloted vehicles, otherwise known as drones.
The drone program against Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Yemen has long been officially classified, even though its use has been widely reported and become a central component of President Obama's counter-terrorism efforts.
But, on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Osama Bin Laden's death, Brennan essentially declassified the program, saying the use of such vehicles gives the government "laser-like" precision to target terrorists planning attacks on the United States.
Brennan also acknowledged -- again for first time -- "innocent civilians have been killed in these strikes." But he said such instances have been "exceedingly rare, but it has happened. When it does, it pains us and we regret it deeply, as we do any time innocents are killed in war."
Brennan did not give any details, and he declined to answer how many times the White House has declined to proceed with drone strikes recommended by intelligence agencies.
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When Bush's strikes killed civilians, you clowns on this site were calling for war crimes trials and Chris Matthews was spittling all over himself.
With Obama acting like Bush, now all you jackasses are acting like warriors.
Well, let's keep in mind that many of the strikes during the Bush administration killed mostly if not all civilians. Whole neighborhoods and cities! Under Bush there seemed to be no limit to the amount of collateral damage to justify the killing of one targeted person. When these operations become more precise, and innocent lives become far far far fewer, suddenly you have some concern? Or is it more the issue of who ordered and approved of the strikes? The left wanted these wars over with back when it was unpatriotic to disagree with what our president was doing. We wanted Bin Laden to pay for the strike he devised and had executed. Bush had his location in the very early days of this war and refused to order a strike because he was more concerned with invading Iraq. And Obama has a date for us being out of Afghanistan. Why don't you get on the case of all the republicans who are still arguing for us to stay over there indefinitely.
Right, Obama has a date for us to be out of Afghanistan, just like we are out of Iraq? You morons don't get it, we are never leaving Iraq, we have PERMANENT military bases in Iraq and still have crap loads of personnel over there, just like we will in Afghanistan. We still have military in Japan and Germany, what makes you think we will ever "get out" of Iraq or Afghanistan? Obama will get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan just like he closed down Guantanamo, the same stuff will go on, the media just stops talking about it.
"Killed mostly if not all civilians".. A lie or ignorance. That is why there is no way no have an honest dialogue with people like you.
The Pakistani say they want to be our allies but as long as we don't kill Al-Qaida in their country. Hey you kill them or we will, Go Obama Go the next time a rocket hits a Al qaida and a few of their friends die too, just tell them it was a road side bomb set off by Al-Qaida, or a suicide bomber blew himself up.
I have a 19 yo grandson in the military. If drones save one of our military, I am for it. We did not start this.
BTW, I am a liberal democrat.
Old and Cranky, tell your grandson THANK YOU FOR SERVING. I agree, if one drone saves one of our serving GI's, I am all for it. As to the innocent people that may or may not be innocent, that get killed, why hang around with the terrorists?
And if I remember correctly, President Bush said the USA would hunt you down, no matter where you are hiding. Gee, some people who was all for that are now upset that Obama is doing the same thing. And I am a independent voter, who most of the time, votes on the conservative side. But after seeing what the tea baggers have pulled, not this coming election.
I agree with Old&Cranky