Public Comment

Unfortunately, Rand Paul’s filibuster concerning the issue of drones was more political theater than addressing the more critical issues surrounding these terrifying weapons.

Of far greater importance is their clear violation of international law, invading the sovereignty of other nations and targeting their citizenry – often with appalling results. It is worth repeating the results of a Stanford Law School/NYU and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism at City University in London which estimated 98% of drone attacks killed or injured innocent civilians. General McCrystal warned that such attacks are creating a visceral hatred of the US and has served to be a great recruitment tool of our foes. It defies logic why President Obama should persist in this failed and dangerous policy. 

Due process must not be bypassed for the sake of expediency. Minimizing ‘boots on the ground’ logic is extremely vacuous. Those boots should never have been in foreign lands in the first place. 

If Congress is bamboozled into granting unchecked presidential powers it creates an extremely dangerous precedent. Such powers could easily be expanded and misused to usher in future dictatorial presidents who could use them to target political enemies. 

We were outraged when terrorists violated our cherished land and committed violence on 9/11. How can we be so insensitive to other countries sentiments when so many innocent, cherished lives have so been cruelly aborted?