[Peace-discuss] Sen. Paul Issues Final Letter to Brennan Questioning Government Drone Authority

[Robert Naiman]

<http://paul.senate.gov/>
****






Sen. Paul Issues Final Letter to Brennan Questioning Government Drone
Authority****
*Intends to filibuster nomination if answers are not given***

*WASHINGTON, D.C. –* Sen. Rand Paul today issued a third letter to John
Brennan, President Obama’s nominee for director of the Central Intelligence
Agency.Sen. Paul’s previous inquiries dispatched to Mr. Brennan (found
HERE<http://paul.senate.gov/files/documents/Brennan1.pdf>
 and HERE <http://paul.senate.gov/files/documents/Brennan2.pdf>) have gone
unanswered by Mr. Brennan and the Administration, and Sen. Paul has
declared<http://paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=705>
 he will filibuster the nomination of Mr. Brennan until his concerns over
the legality of using drone strikes inside the United States are answered.**
**

In the letter, Sen. Paul states: “The question that I and many others have
asked is not whether the Administration has or intends to carry out drone
strikes inside the United States, but whether it believes it has the
authority to do so. This is an important distinction that should not be
ignored.”****

Below is the full text of the letter, sent on Wednesday, Feb. 20, to Mr.
Brennan.****

*LETTER:*
February 20, 2013****
 ****
John O. Brennan****
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism****
The White House****
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW****
Washington, DC 20500****
 ****
Dear Mr. Brennan,****
 ****
In consideration of your nomination to be Director of the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), I have repeatedly requested that you provide
answers to several questions clarifying your role in the approval of lethal
force against terrorism suspects, particularly those who are U.S. citizens.
Your past actions in this regard, as well as your view of the limitations
to which you are subject, are of critical importance in assessing your
qualifications to lead the CIA. If it is not clear that you will honor the
limits placed upon the Executive Branch by the Constitution, then the
Senate should not confirm you to lead the CIA.****
 ****
During your confirmation process in the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence (SSCI), committee members have quite appropriately made
requests similar to questions I raised in my previous letter to you—that
you expound on your views on the limits of executive power in using lethal
force against U.S. citizens, especially when operating on U.S. soil. In
fact, the Chairman of the SSCI, Sen. Feinstein, specifically asked you in
post-hearing questions for the record whether the Administration could
carry out drone strikes inside the United States. In your response, you
emphasized that the Administration “has not carried out” such strikes and
“has no intention of doing so.” I do not find this response sufficient.****
 ****
The question that I and many others have asked is not whether the
Administration has or intends to carry out drone strikes inside the United
States, but whether it believes it has the authority to do so. This is an
important distinction that should not be ignored.****
 ****
Just last week, President Obama also avoided this question when posed to
him directly. Instead of addressing the question of whether the
Administration could kill a U.S. citizen on American soil, he used a
similar line that “there has never been a drone used on an American citizen
on American soil.” The evasive replies to this valid question from the
Administration have only confused the issue further without getting us any
closer to an actual answer.****
 ****
For that reason, I once again request you answer the following question: Do
you believe that the President has the power to authorize lethal force,
such as a drone strike, against a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, and without
trial?****
 ****
I believe the only acceptable answer to this is no.****
 ****
Until you directly and clearly answer, I plan to use every procedural
option at my disposal to delay your confirmation and bring added scrutiny
to this issue and the Administration’s policies on the use of lethal force.
The American people are rightfully concerned, and they deserve a frank and
open discussion on these policies.****
 ****
 ****
Sincerely,****
 ****
****
 ****
Rand Paul, M.D.****
United States Senator****
 ****



###****




-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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