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Rosalind_Swenson 
Group: Members
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Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2013,10:51 am |
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Holder and Brennan's responses to Rand Paul's letters:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Sen. Rand Paul received two pieces of correspondence regarding the legality and constitutionality of the U.S. government using lethal force, including drone strikes, on Americans and in U.S. territory. Sen. Paul sent three inquires on the matter to President Obama's nominee to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Brennan (HERE, HERE and HERE). He finally received responses from both Mr. Brennan and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on one item of inquiry.
Attorney General Holder stated in a letter to Sen. Paul dated March 4, 2013: "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."
"The U.S. Attorney General's refusal to rule out the possibility of drone strikes on American citizens and on American soil is more than frightening - it is an affront the Constitutional due process rights of all Americans," Sen. Paul said.
Sen. Paul also received a letter in response from Mr. Brennan, clarifying the CIA does not have the power to authorize such operations. Notably missing from Mr. Brennan's response are answers to the myriad other questions Sen. Paul posed to him in previous correspondence.
http://paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=724
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I think Rand Paul's letters to Brennan and refusal to acknowledge his nomination to head of CIA, were more about getting American citizens to pay attention and start thinking than they were letters demanding answers from him.
In case anyone hasn't read them yet:
Parts of Letter 1:
Do you agree with the argument put forth on numerous occasions by the Executive
Branch that it is legal to order the killing of American citizens and that it is not compelled
to explain its reasoning in reaching this conclusion? Do you believe this is a good
precedent for the government to set?
Congress has been denied access to legal opinions and interpretations authorizing
placement of U.S. citizens believed to be engaged in terrorism on targeting lists, thus
denying Congress the ability to perform important oversight. Will you provide access to
those opinions, as well as future opinions?
Would it not be appropriate to require a judge or court to review every case before the
individual in question is added to a targeting list? Please describe the due process
requirements in place for those individuals being considered for addition to a targeting
list.
Would you agree that it is paradoxical that the federal government would need to go
before a judge to authorize a wiretap on a U.S. citizen overseas, but possibly not to order
a lethal drone strike against the same individual? If not, please explain why you believe
something similar to the FISA standard should not be applied in regards to lethal actions
against U.S. citizens.
Is it still your intent to codify and normalize the so-called "disposition matrix"--a
targeting list that you helped to establish--to direct counterterrorism operations in future
administrations, as well as the targeted killing procedures you have outlined in your
"playbook"?
Aside from the president, how many people have access to the full disposition matrix?
Of those, how many participate in the process to add individuals to the targeting list, and
how many have the authority to veto an individual's inclusion?
Aww heck, the letters have too much information for me to post. Read all three if you haven't already.
Letter 1 http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2htm...ges=yes
Letter 2
http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2htm...ges=yes
Letter 3
http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2htm...ges=yes
Or just click the links on Paul's site.
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And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
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Rosalind_Swenson
Group: Members
Posts: 1527
Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2013,2:46 pm |
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Rand Paul's filibuster of the nomination of Brennan. Not sure how long it will go on, but so far it's live.
http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/
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Rosalind_Swenson
Group: Members
Posts: 1527
Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2013,10:47 pm |
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As skeptical as I am about government, this filibuster is amazing. Anyone watching it?
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And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
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Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013,8:36 am |
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^thought that was your job ned. 
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 Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne” 
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pepi la pew
Group: Members
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013,2:53 pm |
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Well ned I would rather edorse a depends than a DEM A RAT
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| Post Number: 7
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
Posts: 22484
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013,6:24 pm |
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^^^ We kill ourselves^^^
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Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne”
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| Post Number: 8
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Mar. 10 2013,10:25 pm |
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Yes. The D's and the R's are really that much different from one another. 
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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Rosalind_Swenson
Group: Members
Posts: 1527
Joined: May 2011
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Posted on: Mar. 15 2013,8:28 am |
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(nedkelly @ Mar. 10 2013,7:57 am)
QUOTE
(Rosalind_Swenson @ Mar. 06 2013,10:47 pm)
QUOTE As skeptical as I am about government, this filibuster is amazing. Anyone watching it? Just another windbag...Blovating his stupid beliefs!!!!!!!!. Next thing he will be endorsing depends....ned
Yeah, I guess you're right. It was kind of exciting pretending for awhile that there's a good guy. At least he DID get some good information out there on the indefinite detention of citizens and drones. Hopefully more people are starting to think for themselves now.
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