‘Shame on You’: Why I interrupted Obama counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan

[JohnyCanuck]

by Medea Benjamin/Code Pink

Counterterrorism adviser John Brennan spoke at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington DC on April 30 to mark the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden. It was the first time a high level member of the Obama Administration spoke at length about the U.S. drone strikes that the CIA and the Joint Special Operations Command have been carrying out in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.

“President Obama has instructed us to be more open with the American people about these efforts,” Brennan explained.

I had just co-organized a Drone Summit over the weekend, where Pakistani lawyer Shahzad Akbar told us heart-wrenching stories about the hundreds of innocent victims of our drone attacks. We saw horrific photos of people whose bodies were blown apart by Hellfire missiles, with only a hand or a slab of flesh remaining. We saw poor children on the receiving end of our attacks—maimed for life, with no legs, no eyes, no future. And for all these innocents, there was no apology, no compensation, not even an acknowledgement of their losses. Nothing.

The U.S. government refuses to disclose who has been killed, for what reason, and with what collateral consequences. It deems the entire world a war zone, where it can operate at will, beyond the confines of international law.

So there I was at the Wilson Center, listening to Brennan describe our policies as ethical, “wise,” and in compliance with international law. He spoke as if the only people we kill with our drone strikes are militants bent on killing Americans. “It is unfortunate that to save innocent lives we are sometimes obliged to take lives – the lives of terrorists who seek to murder our fellow citizens.” The only mention of taking innocent lives referred to Al Qaeda. “Al Qaeda’s killing of innocent civilians, mostly Muslim men, women and children, has badly tarnished its image and appeal in the eyes of Muslims around the world.” This is true, but the same must be said of U.S. policies that fuel anti-American sentiments in the eyes of Muslims around the world.

http://mondoweiss.net/2012/05/shame-on-you-why-i-interrupted-obama-counter-terrorism-adviser-john-brennan.html

[loudsue]

1. Good gawd that woman has courage.

Speaking the truth in this country has always required special people like her. I wish more of us had her courage. I wish I did, anyway.

[happerbolic]

2. if anything positive can be said here...

...surprisingly, very little interruption this time in allowing this fabulous woman her brief chance to speak. Really is a full 180 from anything seen during jr.'s time. slight crack of decency these days in D.C.?

[The Northerner]

3. K&R If only more people had the motivation to follow suit

[JohnyCanuck]

4. That was Jane Harman of Newsweek trying to quash Medea Benjamin’s stellar soliloquy against drones

Last week Medea Benjamin wrote about confronting John Brennan on drones at the Wilson Center. I only watched the video today, and was awed by Benjamin's bravery. Watch her being frogmarched from the hall and with perfect timing proclaiming exit lines that would make Shakespeare proud:

I love the rule of law. I love my country. You are making us less safe by killing so many innocent people around the world. Shame on you. [Door slams]

No one pointed out that the person on the dais at the Wilson Center next to Obama drone boss John Brennan is the head of the Wilson Center, Jane Harman. You can see Harman in red flitting angrily to the microphone to try and shut Benjamin up. She fails.


snip

It's sad to see the liberal media establishment so aligned with the militant powers that be. But that reminds me of a big reason I started blogging. In 2004 I was at the Republican convention in New York when Jodie Evans, who along with Benjamin is a leader of Code Pink, stood up during George W. Bush's speech and ripped off her coat to expose a pink slip with the words You have blood on your hands. She started speaking and was dragged from the hall. I will never forget the sight of Evans being brutally dragged up the concrete steps of Madison Square Garden right past me, her shoes flying off. She came out of jail a day later barefoot.

And the reason I'll never forget is that I was sitting in a giant pecking order of establishment media, and they were indifferent. They were too busy noting who was getting close to the big stars in the media, they were bent over their notebooks recording George Bush the warmonger's words. Because almost all of them were in on that war themselves.

http://mondoweiss.net/2012/05/that-was-jane-harman-of-newsweek-trying-to-quash-medea-benjamins-stellar-soliloquy-against-drones.html