Obama seeks end to US ‘war on terror’ – Cautious welcome to drones speech

[WISKY291]

Obama seeks end to US ‘war on terror’ – Cautious welcome to drones speech

WASHINGTON: Twelve years after the “war on terror” began, President Barack Obama wants to pull the United States back from some of the most controversial aspects of its global fight against Islamist militants. In a major policy speech on Thursday, Obama narrowed the scope of the targeted-killing drone campaign against Al-Qaeda and its allies and took steps toward closing the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba. He acknowledged the past use of “torture” in US interrogations; expressed remorse over civilian casualties from drone strikes; and said that the Guantanamo detention facility “has become a symbol around the world for an America that flouts the rule of law.”

After launching costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States is tiring of conflict. While combating terrorism is still a high priority for the White House, polls show by large margins that Americans’ main concerns are the economy and domestic concerns such as healthcare. “We have now been at war for well over a decade,” Obama said near the start of his address. Toward the end, he added: “But this war, like all wars, must end.”

Though aimed first at a domestic audience, Obama’s speech at Washington’s National Defense University was also the latest milestone in his campaign to reshape the global image of the United States – particularly in the Islamic world.   But he faces obstacles from opponents in Congress who will try to block the closure of Guantanamo prison and reject his call to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed right after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks. The law is the legal basis for much of the “war on terror.”

President Obama’s speech on the use of drones and the fate of Guantanamo prisoners was largely welcomed yesterday in two key countries affected by the policies- Pakistan and Yemen. But Pakistani officials criticized the president for not ending drone strikes in the country altogether, as they have long demanded. Obama cast drone strikes against Islamic militants as crucial to US counterterrorism efforts but acknowledged in his landmark speech Thursday that they are not a “cure-all.”

The president also said he is deeply troubled by civilians unintentionally killed in the strikes and announced more restrictive rules governing the attacks – measures that his advisers said would effectively limit drone use in the future. Obama implored Congress to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, and tried to jumpstart the process by announcing a fresh push to transfer approved detainees to their home countries and lifting a ban on transfers to Yemen. The end of Yemeni restrictions is key, given that 30 of the 56 prisoners eligible for transfer are Yemeni.

An adviser to Yemen’s prime minister, Rageh Badi, praised Obama’s decision to lift the ban on the return of Yemeni detainees as a “welcome step” that would improve relations between the two countries. “This is a responsible speech, especially about the closure of the detention center, which has been an insult to the US more than to any other country,” said Badi. – Agencies

http://news.kuwaittimes.net/2013/05/24/obama-seeks-end-to-us-war-on-terror-cautious-welcome-to-drones-speech/

 

[capt.cliff]

LOL! concerned about civilians who harbor the very terrorists and condone the terror tactics--instead of fighting and turning against them ! In history it has always been the little guy who made the difference!

he is least concerned about the loss of not just American lives but lives lost in all the other countries where the focus of terrorism happens--when the US has capabilities to take out the bad guys who are so afraid to operate out in the open and hide behind innocents[who won't turn them in , how innocent are they]--this concerns me--this is nothing less then war--war has unavoidable casualties--I feel the pres is again putting just not the US at risk but all countries of the world--neg me if you want, anyone dying is a loss--at least it be a death worth while[ ask our solders] but it is going to happen --

Well just my opinion

[WISKY291]

LOL! concerned about civilians who harbor the very terrorists and condone the terror tactics--instead of fighting and turning against them ! In history it has always been the little guy who made the difference!

he is least concerned about the loss of not just American lives but lives lost in all the other countries where the focus of terrorism happens--when the US has capabilities to take out the bad guys who are so afraid to operate out in the open and hide behind innocents[who won't turn them in , how innocent are they]--this concerns me--this is nothing less then war--war has unavoidable casualties--I feel the pres is again putting just not the US at risk but all countries of the world--neg me if you want, anyone dying is a loss--at least it be a death worth while[ ask our solders] but it is going to happen --

Well just my opinion

capt.cliff, You couldn't have said any better.I agree with you 100%. OBAMA is a joke. He has no idea what he is doing.

[sandfly]

THANKS

[Bull Dog]

What does this have to do with the Dinar?????????????????????????

[sweet C]

What does this have to do with the Dinar?????????????????????????

.............absolutely nothing