Obama to address Guantánamo and drones in major defence speech

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Obama to address Guantanamo and drones in major defence speech

Matt Williams in New York
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 May 2013 16.52 BST

President Barack Obama will use a major speech on counter-terrorism this week to address the failure to shut down Guantánamo Bay and push the legal case for targeted drone strikes, according to reports.

The Washington Post, citing White House officials, said the speech Thursday at the National Defence University would serve to review the administration's security policy. In particular he is is due to focus on how the use of unmanned aircraft to kill terrorist targets fits into the legal framework.

He will also further outline the White House's position on Guantánamo Bay. The controversial detention camp has proven to be a running sore of the Obama administration. Having pledged to shutt the camp in his 2008 campaign, and again after taking office, Obama was blocked by Congress with following through with the promise.

Earlier this month, he restated his views on Guantanamo. "It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens co-operation with our allies on counter-terrorism efforts. It is a recruitment for extremists. It needs to be closed," the president said.

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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/19/obama-guantanamo-drones-defence-speech

[rug]

1. "the legal case for targeted drone strikes"

I'll have a large bottle of Dramamine on hand.

[undeterred]

2. While he's at it, I'd like to hear the moral case for targeted drone strikes.

[Rex]

3. Also, sir, about Gitmo

we have people there that are innocent and will never be charged with a crime. Can you PLEASE do something to embarrass Congress enough to take a look at this clear violation of International laws.

Thanks.

[Pragdem]

4. I am prepared to accept what the man I elected has to say...

He gets the confidential reports we don't get.

He sees things in the situation room we don't see.

He is simply is more intelligent than: "All military action is bad, bad, bad."

[rug]

6. Ok, no need to watch it then.

[DCKit]

5. That's Ft. McNair, just down the street from me.

Also where Clinton gave the "Don't ask, Don't tell" speech. I was on the street with the BF to give him the thumbs-down on his way out after that total cop-out.

FYI, it's 4th St. SW in Washington, DC, two blocks south of the Waterfront Metro station. It'd be nice to see the two blocks from M St. all the way to the gates of Ft. McNair lined with protesters on Thursday.

While the motorcade could take an alternative route, the most direct, easiest to secure route is along M St., then south on 4th.

[patrice]

7. KICKING for a spotlight on PRIVATE ASSAULT WEAPONS MARKETS all over EARTH. Apparently, the killing

is just fine as long as it is freelance . . . for the BIG BUCKS weapons' merchant-kings' PRIVATE PROFITS at the expense of other people's lives. Which is something you can't really say about government "defense" activities, as fucked up as they are, since the people of this country PAY FOR THAT and even though quite remotely unlikely, could change that much of what is going on with the MIC juggernaut started right after WWII and continues today wherever someone can get people to point guns at and bomb one another.