Tag: death

Drones…Death By Remote Control: Obama: “I’m Really Good at Killing People.”

On By kingsjesterIn Politics5 Comments

obamakingOn January 20, 2009. newly elected United States President Barack Hussein Obama, said the following,

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes,

On January 21, 2013, newly re-elected United States President Barack Hussein Obama, said the following,

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war; who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends — and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully –- not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear.

On May 29, 2012, The New York Times, in an article about Obama’s Drone Strike Counterterrorism Campaign, titled “Secret ‘Kill List’ Proves a Test of Obama’s Principles and Will”, opined that

Nothing else in Mr. Obama’s first term has baffled liberal supporters and confounded conservative critics alike as his aggressive counterterrorism record. His actions have often remained inscrutable, obscured by awkward secrecy rules, polarized political commentary and the president’s own deep reserve.

In interviews with The New York Times, three dozen of his current and former advisers described Mr. Obama’s evolution since taking on the role, without precedent in presidential history, of personally overseeing the shadow war with Al Qaeda.

They describe a paradoxical leader who shunned the legislative deal-making required to close the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, but approves lethal action without hand-wringing. While he was adamant about narrowing the fight and improving relations with the Muslim world, he has followed the metastasizing enemy into new and dangerous lands. When he applies his lawyering skills to counterterrorism, it is usually to enable, not constrain, his ferocious campaign against Al Qaeda — even when it comes to killing an American cleric in Yemen, a decision that Mr. Obama told colleagues was “an easy one.”

His first term has seen private warnings from top officials about a “Whac-A-Mole” approach to counterterrorism; the invention of a new category of aerial attack following complaints of careless targeting; and presidential acquiescence in a formula for counting civilian deaths that some officials think is skewed to produce low numbers.

Everyone’s concern about Obama’s used of Drone Strikes, has been well-founded.

The local CBS Affiliate, in Washington, DC, reported yesterday, that,

Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s book “Double Down: Game Change 2012” notes President Obama commenting on drone strikes, reportedly telling his aides that he’s “really good at killing people.”

The quote from the book was first reported in Peter Hamby’s review in the Washington Post.

The White House had not officially commented on the alleged remarks, but senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer dismissed a series of reports from the book, including one that showed Obama campaign officials deciding whether to replace Vice President Joe Biden with Hillary Clinton.

“The president is always frustrated about leaks,” Pfeiffer said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I haven’t talked to him about this book. I haven’t read it. He hasn’t read it. But he hates leaks.”

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates that a total of 2,528-3,648 people have been killed by CIA drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004, and between 416-948 of them being civilians. The group labels 326 of such events as “Obama strikes.”

President Obama has taken considerable criticism for the expansion of the CIA targeted killing program – especially from the man who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

FoxNews.com reported on May 14th, 2012,

Unmanned drones could soon be buzzing in the skies above many U.S. cities, as the federal government green-lights the technology for local law enforcement amid widespread privacy concerns.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday began to explain the rules of the sky for these newly licensed drones at potentially dozens of sites across the country. The agency, on its website, said that government “entities” will have to obtain a special certificate in order to fly the aircraft, adding that the FAA is “streamlining the process for public agencies to safely fly (drones) in the nation’s airspace.”

In doing so, the government is taking a tool that has become synonymous with U.S. counterterror warfare in countries like Pakistan and Yemen — and putting it in the hands of U.S. law enforcement.

Unlike some of the drones used overseas, these will not be equipped with missiles. They are to be used purely for surveillance. But that alone has raised serious privacy concerns on Capitol Hill and beyond.

How long until these proposed Domestic Drones are also armed?

By lining up all of these stories, I hoped to paint a very dangerous picture…of a United States President, who publicly proclaimed that he rejested “as false the choice between our safety and our ideals”, while in the privacy of the Oval Office, brags about his ability to kill people by remote control, in a scenario like playing a video game, except the target for assassination does not get any “extra lives”.

In 1985, a movie titled “Real Genius” came out. Starring Val Kilmer, the movie concerned a group of child prodigies at a University, who were all given assignments by a Professor, who unbeknownst to them, was working for the Federal Government. These assignments were all parts of a project: a Space Shuttle, equipped with a Conjugate Tracking System, designed to fire a laser from Earth’s orbit, which would vaporize its target, be it a foreign leader, or a domestic troublemaker.

The students, once they figured out what was going on, sabotaged the testing of the firing system, stopping the weapon, before it had a chance to be used.

Back then, everybody thought that movie was pretty far-fetched.

Now, 28 years later, “Death By Remote Control” is a reality.

And, we have a president who says that he’s “really good at it”.

Somehow, I don’t think that is an attribute that his favorite President, Abraham Lincoln, would be proud of.

Until He Comes,

KJ

Massacre at the Navy Yard: 13 Americans Die. Obama Pontificates on How Bad the Republicans Are.

On By kingsjesterIn Politics6 Comments

American flag half mastYesterday morning, America witnessed another incident of “workplace violence”. Only this time, it occurred right in the heart of our nation’s capital, at the U.S. Navy Yard.

The Washington Post reports that

…13 people are dead and 14 others were injured after a gunman opened fire at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, Navy officials said, spreading fear and chaos across the region as authorities sought to contain the panic.

The incident, in which the death toll rose almost hourly, represents the single worst loss of life in the District since an airliner plunged into the Potomac River in 1982, killing 78.

D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier and Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced the mounting number of casualties in a series of news conferences. The suspected shooter, identified by the FBI as Aaron Alexis, 34, living in Fort Worth, is among the 13 dead. Alexis was a military contractor, one official said.

But even hours after the rampage began, it was still unclear whether the shooting was the act of a lone gunman, or if other shooters were involved. Lanier initially said authorities were looking for two more potential shooters dressed in military style clothing. But shortly after she announced a detailed description of two suspects, city officials said one had been located and cleared.

Lanier described the other possible suspect, who has not been located, as a black man in his 40s with gray sideburns, wearing an olive-drab military-style uniform. He, and the man who was cleared, came under suspicion when they were seen on surveillance videos.

Police are asking anyone with information on the suspect to call 202-727-9099.

Gray said no motive is known yet. He said there is no reason to believe it was an act of terrorism, though he added that he could not rule it out.

Gray said that in addition to those killed, about a dozen people were hurt. Later in the evening Vice Adm. Bill French said the number of injured was 14.

It was not clear whether those people were shot or suffered other injuries.

Pentagon officials said the Navy will wait 24 hours before releasing the names of people killed in the attack.

As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, Navy officials said about 2,000 people remained on base, and that it could take another 3-4 hours before everyone was cleared to leave.

The FBI was still interviewing every person leaving the base out of concern that a second suspect may still be at large, French said. And SWAT teams are still finding people hiding in places on the base, where some had remained hunkered down since the initial attack early Monday morning. One city officials said that shortly before 7 p.m., officers found an employee hiding in a locker, where the employee had been for nearly 11 hours.

Throughout the day, people had been warned to stay in their homes and offices on the Naval Base as the incident unfolded.

Alexis was armed with an assault rifle and a handgun, two law enforcement officials said. One said he also had a shotgun. One official said all the weapons have not been accounted for.

Shortly after the massacre, President Barack Hussein Obama came out to deliver a previously scheduled speech on the Economy. He prefaced his prepared speech, with brief remarks on the Navy Yard Massacre, before launching into one of his usual partisan, didactic lectures about how he, the Lightbringer, could fix this rotten economy (which he is responsible for), if Republicans would just shut up and get out of his way.

What happens up on Capitol Hill is going to help determine not only the pace of our growth, but also the quality of jobs, the quality of opportunity for this generation and future generations.

The problem is at the moment, Republicans in Congress don’t seem to be focused on how to grow the economy and build the middle class. I say “at the moment” because I’m still hoping that a light bulb goes off here. (Laughter.)

So far, their budget ideas revolve primarily around even deeper cuts to education, even deeper cuts that would gut America’s scientific research and development, even deeper cuts to America’s infrastructure investment — our roads, our bridges, our schools, our energy grid. These aren’t the policies that would grow the economy faster. They’re not the policies that would help grow the middle class. In fact, they’d do the opposite.

Obama continued to expound on how horrible the opposition party, who stands in his path of  implementing socialism, err…fairness…is.

Meanwhile…at the Navy Yard…Americans lay dead,dying, and wounded. Their political affiliation did not matter, nor did their race, or their sexual preference. They were Americans, shot by a lunatic, who at the time, was thought to have two accomplices.

However, Obama was on a mission yesterday. He had his wonderful (just ask him) speech prepared, and by God, he was going to give it, come Hell…or dead Americans. 

In fact, if Valerie Jarrett, or one of his other aides, had not told him and Moochelle how horrible an optic it would have been last night, Obama would have been shaking his groove thing, at the Latino Par-tay that was scheduled for Monday Night at the White House. Word did not come out until yesterday afternoon, that the event had been cancelled .

There has never been such a self-involved president in United States History.

As evidenced by the Syria Fiasco, our opinion does not matter to him.

And, as he showed yesterday morning, American lives are not that high a priority to this United States President, either.

Because, after all, it is all about Obama, isn’t it?

Until He comes,

KJ