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Forcing Obama to Handover Drone Documents, Rep. Ron Paul Makes Last Stand before Leaving Congress
by Ezra Van Auken
Along with his colleague Dennis Kucinich from Ohio, Congressman from Texas, Ron Paul is leaving the Capitol in a few weeks. But before the stern non-interventionist advocates depart, they will introduce a resolution in Congress that would pressure President Obama to handover documents revealing the apparent justification for drone use overseas.
The office of Rep. Kucinich sent a press release to the Houston Chronicle, which states, “Thus far, the administration has refused to release the memo or any documents, despite multiple requests from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. Intelligence operations that have virtually no transparency, accountability or oversight raise serious legal questions, particularly when such programs may constitute possible violations of international law or the Constitution of the United States,” a trend in the Obama administration.
Paul and Kucinich’s resolution was introduced on the 28th of November and could be taken in front of the House before the end of 2012. According to the two Congressmen, the reason for disliking drones is because “they increase radicalization among the population of the countries we use them in, violate the U.S. Constitution, kill innocent people and stain our nation’s moral consciousness.”
Many Americans are fed up with U.S.’ foreign policy and Rep. Paul has been a key vent for those who are angered. In Paul’s recent farewell speech to Congress he touched on the topic of drones saying, “The drone warfare we are pursuing worldwide is destined to end badly for us as the hatred builds for innocent lives lost and the international laws flaunted. Once we are financially weakened and militarily challenged, there will be a lot resentment thrown our way.”
The resentment Rep. Paul is referring to be also known as blowback or the U.S. meddling in affairs of foreign nations, which leads to retaliation on the homeland. Paul’s thought-process that America’s excessive drone use will come to an end is most likely right considering the United States’ economic state as well as the rate of return that drones produce; more bad than good.
Pakistan, a country that sees drone strikes on the regular, and has become a symbol of American drone deployment, is a first-hand witness. “I am not saying drones have not assisted in the war against terror, but they have diminishing rate of returns,” Pakistani Ambassador, Sherry Rehman explained at the Aspen Security Forum. Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Rehman Malik also spoke out on the issue and cited some staggering statistics.
Malik noted that out of 336 strikes by the U.S. on Pakistani soil, some 2,500 to 3,000 civilians were killed as a result and an alleged 174 were children. In regard to these strikes, PakNationalists Forum correspondent, Ahmed Quraishi told Russia Today, “The Americans have been trying very, very hard to convince Pakistanis the drone attacks are actually for the betterment of the country…but I think with this kind of statement coming from a senior Pakistani minister [Malik], this just totally destroys the position of the US from inside Pakistan. I’m sure that the American diplomats at the US embassy here in Islamabad are increasingly applying pressure on Washington and their counterparts, especially at the CIA and the Pentagon.”
Unfortunately the U.S. has yet to reform their policies overseas, which for one, cannot be afforded any longer and two, are only creating more enemies.
Image Reference
http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/12/ron-paul-and-dennis-kucinich-team-up-to-oppose-drones/
Amar
December 13, 2012 at 6:15 pm
If Republicans had supported the nomination of Ron Paul…Obama would have been out of the White House…America needs RON PAUL
michelle forus
December 13, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Im with you Amar, how stupid our own people have become drives me mad! Damn Flouride and Oxy everything! Damn these crooked Politicians/MURDERERS! and DAMN! The people who didnt write in Ron Paul! This is all going to come back to us 10 fold! We can not run around the world killing off people and expect to get away with it, I think Obamas doing it all on purpose to make sure that we pay for all the wrongs our prior Politicians have done. Our Military men and woman need to make a stand and say NO MORE KILLING innoscent people!
This all makes me so sad and angry, what can we do to stop the craziness happening here? How do the alphabet agencies go along with this????
Jerry
December 14, 2012 at 6:41 am
The – People – have nothing to do with it,and their elected,so called Leaders,are people that drove New Cars to High School…they still don`t think much of those other people,and they have No Fear;another fault of the so called “Home of the Brave” myth.
jazzwitherspoon
December 14, 2012 at 1:19 am
I’m with you, but if Ron Paul does not want to continue, then let him be.
We need to bolster support for the people that still want to continue fighting, like Rep. Justin Amash, and Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson.
Vote for these people and find more people like these. Because somehow, the horrible people like John Boehner, Lamar Smith, Mike Rogers, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid keep getting elected, and this is the problem. These people are the problem. These people should be out of a job NOW, not whenever they are up for re-election. These are people that are working to destroy this country right now, so they need to be removed from office and tried for treason, on the basis that they voted for the 2012 NDAA, and continue to uphold the 2013 NDAA.
rightclue
December 14, 2012 at 10:21 am
As in Milton’s “Paradise Lost:”
“It is better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.”
The Republicons just wanted to consolidate their power, even if it meant sending one of the weakest Republican candidates ever in the history of the election.
Most Americans are completely apathetic to politics. (Look at the vote participation this year vs total US population)
Those that are gung ho are either stymied by the idiot box for opinions and are totally dependent on the sacred cows (welfare, Medicaid/Medicare, etc…)
Alex
December 16, 2012 at 9:43 am
I disagree slightly. The voters ARE the problem, as the only people who should have had more than 10 votes are Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, and Jill Stein for those hard-core socalists. Instead of looking at their options, people were lazy and only voted for the only two to take enough bribe money to score tv ads. The lack of voter turnout this year shows that, at least, the people can tell when both the options they are GIVEN are worthless.
jamie potter
December 15, 2012 at 1:05 pm
There are not enough words to convey my support for Ron Paul or my distrust for the present administration. But Amar describes it accurately and if the media had backed Ron Paul I believe he would have won easily and America would be on the road to recovery instead of the economic lunacy that currently exists, not to mention the erosion of our civil liberties.
m arcand
December 13, 2012 at 9:36 pm
I believe Ron Paul was the last great hope for America. It has become apparent that a North American deal has been struck behind the scenes with the U.S. and Canada. Both country’s sold to the corporations with our initial free trade agreement has crippled our ability to balance our budgets with our standard of living. The only route forward is a highly complex free trade agreement with China and of course India will follow soon after. The fix will be lower wages and more foreign workers. This solution to our manufacturing crisis is the disarming of the middle class and our weapons of political destruction (ability to vote and awareness without distraction) . Its hard to pay attention with a 16 hour shift at 8 dollars an hour. Ron Paul we wish you were at the helm of America!
rodgerian
December 14, 2012 at 9:10 pm
I think there are other’s still Jon Huntsman looked like a really good candidate.
Trevor Sullivan
December 13, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Ron Paul is my president.
Marc DeVera
December 15, 2012 at 9:40 am
He’s every decent and educated American President.
pazsion
December 13, 2012 at 9:56 pm
I consider ron paul our president, and commander in cheif. By popular vote and electoral vote/delegates. His us citizen vote numbers trumped both obama and romney by hundreds of thousands. But these documents are hidden or trashed/doctored. Let’s do this mr. president xD
N unya
December 13, 2012 at 10:27 pm
While I have great love for Sen. Paul, I think if we were to make an observation of both the group mentality the democratic party has cultivated, as well as the current behavior and actions of those in that group…I’m afraid Mr. Paul would have been lucky to even make it to his inauguration. It’s just my observation..but to me it seems the only thing keeping this nation from erupting into all out dissolution is the continued apathy, acquiescence, and general position of forfeiture of any American who happens to not stand with the ignorant, the enabled, and the blindly entitled of the smugly triumphant Democratic party.
Billy Noneya
December 15, 2012 at 10:25 pm
I do not have great love for Sen. Paul. I do however consider his father Dr. Ron Paul Rep. from the state of Texas to be my hero. I am sorry, but I can’t follow anything you are saying..
Bruce Carson
December 13, 2012 at 10:55 pm
RON PAUL is my President….the election was a dog and pony show anyway and both of them are the same. Ron Paul was our only hope….like before…The Country will once again see that he is right…and once again they will realize it too late!
John Lotus
December 14, 2012 at 9:24 am
One has to look at the big picture. Yes the drone strikes are illegal in terms of conventional war. However this is what is known as asymmetrical war. The law is not up to date with how this war is being waged, so it is the law that may be wrong, not the strikes. That being said let us say no the drone strikes are wrong period. Then you have to say OK we can not send unmanned drones into Pakistan as that is illegal. So then the only option is then to say OK Pakistan you harbor our enemy this makes you OUR enemy so our only legal option then is, to declare war on Pakistan , invade and then attempt to kill all the enemy. This would be LEGAL to do. So which is the best choice ? To do something in the gray area of drone strikes, (which can also be claimed as attacking an enemy in hot pursuit etc) MAYBE a sketchy argument OR to “legally” declare war on Pakistan? I am sure the USA would win, easily and quickly, as soon as Pakistan used one of its nukes against the USA it would then cease to exist with in minutes. So big pic folks what are the better options eh? War against Pakistan or drone strikes albeit they are “illegal” ??? I myself say break the law!
Alex
December 14, 2012 at 7:36 pm
You offer two options without offering any others. I say do nothing. We’ve had a major occupying presence in the middle east for over a decade. We killed Bin Laden. We killed hundreds of terrorists and unfortunately, thousands of civilians. If we haven’t “won” yet, it’s unwinnable. Bring our troops home.
Dayn
December 14, 2012 at 11:28 pm
Turn the situation around. What if the “terrorists” began to form groups or cells in the U.S. to perform acts of violence against England or European countries…would that give those countries the right to attack areas in our country?? The point is, the war on terror is like the war on drugs..its unwinnable and like Ron Paul says it only garners more hatred and dissent towards our country. Who are we to police the world? First it was Iraq, then it was Afganistan, now its pakistan…it never ends until we end it and stay out of other countrys business. They will tel you its a matter of security to do the things because of the fear that was caused by 9/11…….
Cremator
December 15, 2012 at 12:26 am
You don’t need to wreck your brain (and ours) trying to figure this out. There are many ways to do it. There are folks in Washington DC who study and research policies, international relations, and laws. They get paid to find solutions. They can figure out how to do it legally and peacefully, while saving lives. It might cost a little more money and requires more diplomacy, but it will save lives. The question is: does the US govt really care about Pakistani or Yemeni lives?
Jones
December 15, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Either way, your talking about the prosses by which we choose to kill alot of innocent people. I dont support any of it. BTW, when did anything as a direct result of pakastan ever attack us. I dont know every thing there is to know about the geo politics of this but I dont remember anything happening to us here in the US as a direct result of somthing pakastan did. And if you say Osama, let me remind you that they denounced any idea of him hiding out there and even after all of our insiders finally finding him, no one has stated nor proven that pak. was harbouring him.
Pat malone
December 14, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Why must we change our laws because of war. War is war no matter how you look at it we should of listened to Washington telling us not to mess with other country’s affairs. Not this “war on terror” bs all that is is just a cover up to go into other people’s countries an try to persuade them that American way is the best way yet our own people dislike our leaders actions an just go corporate an take most jobs over seas an make us weaker all around
Billy Noneya
December 15, 2012 at 10:33 pm
It’s funny how Mr. Obama finds water boarding so terrible he will not only condemn it, he uses it politically on a world stage and now he not only fails to find fault in, but is actually the puppeteer of those drones that kill innocent women and children.
Dzenis ali
December 14, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Ron paul forever hero !