Obama’s counter terrorism speech today: impressive in some respects, but lackluster in offering transparency and answering lingering, troubling questions of accountability. Wajahat Ali writes and reflects on his facebook page:
– Obama: Muslims are a “fundamental part of American family” & journalists shouldn’t be at legal risk, so we’ll just spy on both in keeping with our new American traditions.
– Obama: I love the smell of drone napalm in the morning, smells like victory… in a “boundless, global war on terror” that I don’t support
– So, Obama disagrees w/ Gitmo, spying on journalists, extrajudicial killings, & seeing Muslim citizens as suspects, but allows it to happen
– Code Pink activists, like the one who interrupted Obama’s speech, are like the most aggressive rishta aunties on earth – they’ll crash any party and make their voices heard.
– Even if drones are allegedly “superior” & less prone to mistakes, the policy doesn’t take into account the humiliation & anger they inspire
– In every Muslim country I’ve visited nothing inspired more resentment, frustration, and humiliation about U.S. policy than drone strikes.
– If Obama agrees with most of the criticisms why does his administration continue implementing and supporting the policies?
– We targeted and assassinated Anwar Awlaki because he was waging war against Americans, but why did we commit an extra-judicial murder of his innocent 16 year old son? Still waiting to hear the justification for that one…
– If U.S. citizens are placed on kill lists, how can they ask to be removed? Especially, when they won’t know they’re on a kill list until a drone has dropped a bomb on their head – which, you know, kind of sucks.
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