It appears the debate on Drone attacks are really beginning to heat up, but not where you’d expect. No, not internationally, but domestically… right here in the Good ol’ US of A. Now before you get all flustered and began pulling out the ‘registered’ Oozy’s you just purchased at your friendly neighborhood gun show, listen to what the Attorney General of the United States had to say.
Attorney General Eric Holder said in a press conference on Tuesday that he could see Drone attacks taking place on U.S. soil one day. In fact, he said;
“It is possible, I suppose, to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States, for the President to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States. For example, the President could conceivably have no choice but to authorize the military to use such force if necessary to protect the homeland in the circumstances of a catastrophic attack like the ones suffered on December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001. The question you have posed is entirely hypothetical, unlikely to occur, and one we hope no President will ever have to confront.”
Of course, this has riled some feathers, especially from Tea Party Extraordinaire, Rep. Rand Paul. In an interview with the beloved, Fox News, Paul stated;
“The thing about the drone strike program is we’re not talking about someone’s actively attacking America — we’re not talking about planes flying into the World Trade Center. What we’re talking about is you’re eating dinner in your house, you’re eating at a café or you’re walking down the road.”
The two instances Attorney General Holder spoke of were the most dastardly and atrocious attacks on the United States. And let’s not forget about the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma that took place in April of 1995 where 168 innocent people were killed. That was a homegrown attack, cowardly planned and executed by an American. An unimaginable crime against our own people, American citizens. Americans who went to work as they always did on a seemingly, routine day. Some dropped off their kids in a daycare in the same building that was attacked. A routine, uneventful day that was just like a day in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 or in New York City on September 11, 2001. They all turned out to be anything but routine.
Here’s my take.
The dynamics have changed. The game has changed. Warfare has changed. I know we are Americans and living on American soil but, as an American, don’t we and shouldn’t we have the right to live in our own country, free from fear? A fear that may one day be generated by one of our very own Citizens that have nothing but terror and terrorism in their heart, like the cowards that attacked the Federal Building in Oklahoma.
The last thing I’d want is for Drones to be used here in America, BUT, if there is a known threat to my family, friends and loved ones, “Drone the H*ll out of Them!”
This shouldn’t be a Debate. IF the public is at risk from a “known” terrorist – American or otherwise – I believe the Government, the President, the Military should use any means necessary to eliminate that threat. So, if that means drones in the United States, So Be It.
Sometimes, Rep. Paul, a trial just won’t do.
